Clouded Joy
by MrsWolfPack
Summary: A cursed man, damned for a former life of crime? Or just a misunderstood, desperately lonely boy who is in need of our resident puppy? His heart can't take anymore blows; his soul crushed and beaten into submission by karma and Fate. He needs salvation ... could he possibly find some in La Push? Adult themes! M/M Slash! Completed! Sequel - Clouded Destiny!
1. Prologue

**Edited: **_**June 20, 2014**_

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**Hey, hey, my lovelies!**

**Those of you who are new, welcome :) **

**Those of you how are reading this for the umpteenth time, as I know some of you visit regularly, welcome back! **

**I'm just letting you all know that I will be going through all the chapters and editing them, removing any grammatical errors and such :) There will be nothing drastic so don't worry :)**

**Newcomers please note that this story can get very dark at times, especially this first chapter as it mentions rape, cutting, abuse, death and a few other things as well. If you are sensitive to any of these subjects, read with caution.**

**ADULT THEMES! Including explicit sex, specifically between two men! This is a SLASH story! If it isn't your thing, please click the x in the top right corner.**

**18+ years only! I'm not your mother or father, I cannot tell you what to do, but I'd appreciate it if you didn't get this story removed because you are under-age or offended by its content. I have warned you.**

**This is a Seth imprint story, wherein he imprints on one of my own Original Male Characters. Don't like, don't read.**

**Thanks for reading this and I hope you enjoy the prologue to Clouded Joy!**

**Disclaimer for the whole story****:**

**I do not own Twilight, its associated characters or places mentioned within the saga. All belongs to Stephenie Meyer. All characters who are **_**clearly**_ **made up are of **_**my**_ **creation and thus, belong to me. No copyright infringement is intended!**

**Without further ado...Enjoy!**

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**Prologue**

**A Dark Past**

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I've never known where life would take me. Predicting Fate's relentless and cruel plans had never been a skill of mine as I've had to face plenty of unpredictability, inconsistencies, heartbreak after bitter heartbreak and even more inevitable sorrow since the very first moment I came into this work.

_Nothing_ could have prepared me for what Fate felt was justifiably dumped upon my shoulders.

Fate, the little fucker, was cruel and malicious. It cut me down until I was bleeding and begging on my knees. It took no prisoners. It was merciless. It seemed that stabbing me in the back was its most enjoyable pastime. I'd often wondered if I was an insufferable asshole to everybody in a past life, or whether it was pissed at me for something I haven't even done yet.

What had I done to piss it off so badly?

Oh yeah – _that _… and _that_ … and of course, the unforgettable, unforgivable _that_. It seems like every insignificant thing I did equalled a massive personal blow towards Fate and thus, it retaliated with a crippling blow to my life.

Perhaps I was cursed? I was running out of excuses to explain Fate's actions. Maybe I was being punished for a former life of crime or debauchery or drug abuse? All were far-fetched ideas, but I really didn't know what I'd done to deserve the utter bullshit that had been thrust upon life, my childhood in particular.

The only miniscule light that entered my childhood was my grandmother Aurora. It was seven when even she was torn from my side.

Nothing made sense after she died. Actions and words meant nothing, registered as nothing in my mind as I was forcibly left to fight the evils of the world I never even knew existed. I doubt she even thought to warn me against them, thinking she'd live longer than even her stretched 82 years.

She had been fit and healthy. She didn't smoke. Very rarely drank alcohol. Her only exception on that was a small glass of sherry near Christmas. She did however, like to try new things, sometimes dangerous things. Quad biking and skiing had been her favourites before she'd passed.

She was strong.

She was happy.

She was healthy.

And yet … she just slipped off in her sleep.

Just like that.

Eyes closed.

Gone.

As easily as exhaling.

My life wasn't mine anymore.

I was Fate's puppet, a stuffed toy for it to chew and maul as it so wished.

I didn't care. Whatever.

I began to resent the life I led so blindly, utterly unemotionally. I began to resent the unmanageable depression that took a hold of my heart and the mind-numbing pain that plagued my entire body whenever I thought about all the poison in my life – which was more often than not.

One of my fiercest burning resentments was the fuck-up I was forced to call a father. I resented everything about that poor excuse of a man, mostly his cowardice and his abandonment of my mother and I whilst she was still pregnant with me.

I resented the doctors who couldn't save my mother after giving birth to me. I resented them, despite doing everything they could to save her. The simple fact that she didn't survive, that she was dead, made me resent them until I was sick.

Above all else, I resented _myself_.

I was the disgusting monster who drained my mother of so much vital energy. I was the one who had taken from her a little too much than she was able to truly give. She didn't have enough to hang on after I'd separated from her body. I resented myself for paving my own motherless life.

I never got to feel her loving embrace, or her sweet voice telling me she loved me more than her own life. I never knew the love of a true mother.

My Grandmother loved me … but it just wasn't the same.

I never got to feel her unconditional love.

I never got to experience things like baking or going to the park with her, things that would have cemented our bond beyond anything I would have ever experienced in my whole life. Nothing even measured up to such an unbreakable, unconditional bond than between a mother and her child.

I never got to see her warm, brilliant smile in person, only through pictures that taunted my heart and soul. They teased me with alternate futures for myself, where she was the centre of my world and I was a total momma's boy who thought that the beauty of sunshine and diamonds had nothing on her.

Not one single ray or glisten.

Her pictures, as I grew older and learned what I'd had done, sent me into deeper and deeper depression. The resentment towards myself and the world around me grew into its own entity.

I was a murderer.

Plain and simple.

There was no sugar-coating it.

There was no denying it, or hiding it.

Her proverbial blood was on my trembling hands and there wasn't a single day that dragged on by in this wretched life of mine when I would forget, when I _could_ forget. Forgiveness for such a crime would never exist.

I tortured myself with horrific scenes and scenarios of her simply slipping away, sweaty and utterly exhausted after my birth, her heart giving it's last beat as my first cry penetrated the air. I dreamt the doctors only realised she was lost when they turned to hand me to her for the first time.

Other scenes included her bleeding to death; others, some totally out of this world even, included me tearing out of her from the inside, or my father tearing through the delivery room, ending her life with one quick slash … sometimes, it wouldn't even be him …

It would be me … since I was responsible, a murderer.

Life didn't get any better as time crept on. My grandmother, bless her soul, she tried to teach me right from wrong, not to talk to strangers and all that other bullshit parents taught their kids on a daily basis. I've often found the best company is that of a stranger - they didn't judge you, having not known you from Adam or Eve. They didn't see what I really was, unlike those people who have watched my spiralling life swirl deeper and darker into despair and heartache.

Strangers – they offered unbiased advice that, at times, had done more good for me than even my own grandmother's words.

I was forced into a crumbling, rat-infected orphanage after my grandmother had died. I was a ward of the State and just like Fate, they could do as they wished with me. It was a kid-eat-kid environment in that God forsaken place. The owners who managed the run down building weren't the best but they'd do; they go the job done even when standards were extremely below average.

Poor really.

I spoke to none of them, carer or child alike, keeping to myself and my own terrorising thoughts. I thought it best not to form any sort of attachment that could potentially break me, strip me of my barest necessities that kept me barely hanging on in this world.

One more heartbreak, that is all that it would take.

I'd snap.

The first foster home I went to seemed nice and friendly from the outside but looks can be deceiving, as can first impressions.

The woman – Carol Leon was her name – she was a gem. She was kind and loving, everything that I would have thought a mother to be. Of course ... she wasn't mine, no one could replace her. She smiled at me every morning, cooked me food and placed a roof over my head, but there was always something in her eyes.

It got worse as the time I spent there drew on and on, when she realised that I wasn't a case she ought to have meddled with. I didn't speak or sleep well. I hardly ate her food, not that there was anything wrong with it.

She had no idea that it was her own husband who was making me that way.

Turns out Jonathan Leon was also a murderer, the same natured as mine. His mother died during childbirth too. He was searching for someone, for anyone to impose his hurt and suffering on. So he could blame someone other than himself.

He found me.

Just a little boy who just so happened to be dealing with everything that he was. He was a cold, cruel bastard that had a façade whenever face-to-face with his precious wife but behind closed doors, away from her sweet, hazel eyes, he was a monster.

He hit me, kicked me, punched me, screamed at me, told me that I was as worthless as the gum on the bottom of his shoe, if not even that.

He made sure every day that I knew just how worthless I was, degrading me in such ways that I begged once or twice for him to kill me. It would have been ideal. Death. It would have ended everything I was feeling, all the hurt and suffering. Even if the place I was heading was filled with fire and brimstone, it would have been a better hell than the one I was living.

Especially when _that_ started …

It started when he'd drank that little too much. Carol was out of town visiting her sister, Jasmine, in California and was obviously missing her – both emotionally … and physically.

I'd come home from school, tired from the monotony and boredom of the whole trial. I'd barely made it through the door before he was on me, breath stinking of stale beer and cigarette smoke whilst his bloodshot eyes bore into mine menacingly. I could hardly see the whites of them.

He almost looked like some sort of demon. Possessed.

I'd never been so scared of him in the short time that I'd stayed with the couple but I knew, in that moment, that encounter was different …

Oh, how right I was.

It hurt. A lot.

It was forever going to be burned inside my mind, and every other encounter like it after that first time. Never was I going to be able to his face out of my mind, the way his lips twisted into that wicked, sick smirk or how his sweaty body towered over mine as he …

No, I couldn't go there.

I felt so … vulnerable and violated and from that day forward, I vowed to be stronger, more steeled to the woes of the world …

Ha, it didn't work.

He came for me night after night after night, even sometimes after he'd pounded his wife into exhaustion and pleasure. I could have only prayed that it would all end soon …

And it did, four years after the first punch and inappropriate caress of my young backside was given.

Jonathan was caught in the deplorable act by my social worker coming through the front door on an unscheduled visit to see how I was coping and being treated at the foster house. To say she was horrified would be an understatement. Not only had she caught him hitting me, but during _that _as well, over the kitchen table.

He was thrown in jail, the dirty scum bag. I, now eleven years of age, was thrown back into the overcrowded orphanage. The social worker quit, too traumatised to continue working in such a troubling area of expertise. Just one more person to have abandoned me. Even after the seven years that she'd seen me through life, she'd abandoned me so easily and it hurt more than I was willing to admit.

I stayed at the orphanage for a year, families unwilling to adopt me whilst CPS was having trouble finding me another foster home. Who would want to take in a troubled eleven, nearly twelve year old?

My stay was lonely and quiet, once again keeping to myself. Some of the kids tried to make conversation, but really, I was unapproachable. I was so buried inside my own head that I ignored everything outside of it. Eventually, even those kids gave up on me.

Story of my life.

A year later, just after I'd turned thirteen, a genuinely nice family of four took me in. I was with them for the next two years.

Scott and Makenna Marvin were the most genuine couple I'd ever met, not that I'd met many, but I knew what I was talking about. They _cared_, and I felt more comfortable with them than anywhere else I'd been shipped off to. What's more, I even got on well enough with their two children.

Hayley, who was two years younger than me at eleven years old, was sweet and excited to be gaining a new brother. She'd always wanted an older brother. I'd soon grown attached to her.

Really stupid mistake on my part.

Their youngest was their son, Greg. He was only eight and super annoying, though mostly in the affectionate way. He'd often made my day harder than it had to be in the sense of being everywhere I was, following me with a vengeance, even if I was simply moping around the house. He might as well have been my third arm or leg. I certainly couldn't get rid of him.

I actually _thrived_ in school with the Marvins. Suddenly, out of my entire thirteen years on this earth, school came to me naturally. I _excelled_. Of course, it was thanks to Scott's undying devotion to bettering myself. He helped me with my homework religiously, every single night. During my stay with them though, my grades shot up.

I actually _enjoyed_ school. Could you believe it? I certainly couldn't.

I was enjoying life as a whole better and I thought that nothing could go wrong.

Even found myself sort of a girlfriend.

Molly Evans.

She was a beautiful, pale-skinned, brunette gem with sparkling blue eyes that shone when she smiled or laughed, which was every second of the day. She was practically the opposite of myself, cheerful and optimistic and she was beginning to rub off on me, the longer we stayed together. Her father hated me, but her mother adored me. Her little sister had insisted that she marry me. Bless her, she was three and the epitome of her big sister.

Three years at the Marvins. I'd just turned sixteen; she was fourteen years old. It was our second year anniversary …

Two years – I had managed to keep someone with me, close to me for two years without problems. With everything that had happened in my life up until that point, I would have expected the total opposite. She knew everything that I'd been through, cried with me over it and she'd stayed by my side.

I loved her. I _knew_ I did. Some people would have argued that I was too young, too young to know what love was. And Molly, she was even younger. Naive. But we knew how we felt. Even her father begrudgingly acknowledged how close and in love we were.

We'd lost our virginities to each other only recently. It was awkward. It was fumbly. It was perfect, because it was with her. Out of my dreary, short life, sleeping with her had to be the best decision that I'd ever made.

Being able to feel the love she had for me had to be the only thing that got me through the devastation I felt when I got a phone call from her father, the night she and her mom were driving back from Beverly Hills, having spent the whole day shopping together for our night together.

Our second anniversary. It was going to be perfect.

We were going to have dinner, watch the sunset and then I would have made love to her all night. Not that her parents knew that tidbit.

I should have known that two years was pushing it, even by my standard.

He was cold in the way he broke the news, blaming me via the tone of his voice for the death of his wife and daughter. I was crushed, crumpling in on myself with pure grief and horror.

That night, I tried to take my own life. Two slashes, one up each forearm, wrist to elbow…

My sister found me, my fourteen year old sister – still as innocent as she was when she was eleven – found me, who had been her hero at the time, lying limp on the bathroom floor as I bled to death against the cold tile. At the very least I'd scarred her for life; just like I scarred everyone I come into contact with for life.

I was saved. Unfortunately.

Moved back into the orphanage. Again.

A year later I'd had enough.

I emancipated myself from the orphanage at the age of seventeen. Becoming my own self, responsible for myself and no one else.

All I needed now was a place where no one could possibly know me. A place where no one could know my past or judge me because of it and only by the appearance I settled with now.

I donned my leathers, my black biker helmet and my mother's ring on a silver chain around my neck before I climbed on my 2006 Ducati 999, a model that hadn't even been released to the public yet, driving the straight and narrow all the way to a Reservation called La Push. It was as far away and as small as I could possibly wish for. My accommodation was set, my place in my final year at high school secure and a fresh start stretching before me, finally.

It just had to be the worst and stupidest mistake I could have ever made in my pathetic excuse of a life …

But that was just _my_ opinion.

Others would say otherwise …

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**For those of you who are interested, there is an outfit compilation I've posted on my Photobucket for my readers. The link to my PB profile is on my FF profile. Go check it out, but be cautious that there will be spoilers for the rest of the story (and the sequel)**

**Thanks for reading!**

**Love MrsWolfPack x**


	2. Questions

**Edited: **_**July 24, 2013**_

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**Hey, hey my lovelies!**

**Thank you for the reviews, alerts and favourites! New and old!**

**No beta, sorry!**

**Without further ado … Enjoy!**

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**Previously on Clouded Joy...**

_I donned my leathers, my black biker helmet and my mother's ring on a silver chain around my neck before I climbed on my _2005 Suzuki GZ250_, driving the straight and narrow all the way to a Reservation called La Push, as far away and as small as I could possibly wish for. My accommodation was set, my place in my final year at high school secure and a fresh start stretching before me, finally._

_It just had to be the worst and stupidest mistake I could have ever made in my pathetic excuse of a life..._

_But that was just _my _opinion. _

_Others would say otherwise..._

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**Chapter 1**

**Questions**

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**Tuesday, **

**August 21****st** **2007**

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A flat.

Miraculously, a punctured tyre was all that had managed to sabotage this whole tiresome, cross-country road trip I'd begrudgingly made myself endure for the past God knows how many days.

Mercifully, it occurred virtually right on my doorstep, only a street into the Quileute Tribal Reservation, La Push. I was surprised – albeit pleasantly so. Knowing my miserable track record and depressingly rotten luck, I had expected something far bigger to go awry – get ramped by a truck maybe? Or plummet over a fifty foot cliff, though not before making its guardrail obsolete?

Lifting my heavy helmet from my sweating face, I swung my leg over the bike seat and kicked down the stand with my large black boot. My thick, biking leathers squeaked, rubbing against each other as I crouched down beside my bike, sighing heavily with frustration as I surveyed the damage done. I rolled my eyes as I saw the tyre was completely slashed through, by a three inch screw no less. I yanked the jagged metal from the rubber, throwing it into the nearby forest.

A very petite part of me, deep inside, hoped an animal wouldn't be injured by it later.

In hindsight, I was dumbfounded that I didn't spin off the road as soon as it happened, but once again, Lady Luck actually seemed to be on my side for once. That doesn't happen very often, just ask anyone from my past. Perhaps it was due to this place – La Push?

Peace and friendliness virtually radiated off every single tree, rock and face I came across, and apart from the latter, there was a fucking lot. The mass of trees were calming, inviting almost, but I knew better than to get too close. It was quiet and tranquil now, but when darkness falls, I knew that things could turn for the worst within the dense depths of the trees.

Even the cliffs, often a device of horror and suicide, were inviting and serene. I could envision myself sat at the edge, lost in thought as I attempted to sort through my tortured thoughts.

After all, that was what I was here for.

I needed to deal with my torments and issues before I was truly going to be able to move on and live my life. Trust me, I wasn't looking forward to one minute of reliving my past, one painful memory after another, but I also knew that it needed to be done. I had always been, and still am, notorious for hiding my emotions behind a fifty foot, ten-inch thick concrete wall. I never really spoke unless I wanted to; I was a very private man.

I knew that the whole process was going to be excruciating. I was going to be opening up a lot of ragged, old wounds that hadn't healed properly and the mere thought had me cringing back with uncertainty and doubt.

Straightening up from my crouch, I looked around me in search for some sort of payphone I could use. My cell had died some states back, and foolishly, I hadn't packed my charger. Piece of crap, if you ask me. I don't even know why I had one. I had no friends or family who I could call or who could call me. I suppose I had my old social worker, but I knew that whatever she had to say didn't mean anything to me now.

I was my own man. Anything she advised or had to say, I could ignore.

I couldn't spot a phone in the vicinity but stopped to stare down the long road stretching out before me. As luck would have it, I noticed an auto-repair garage not thirty feet up the road.

Surely, I couldn't have been this lucky?

I was waiting for the other shoes to drop or the shit to hit the fan. I didn't hear any cars behind me so I couldn't be getting flattened any time soon. Maybe a huge, vicious animal was going to jump at me from the tree line?

Good things don't last forever, including my freakishly abnormal bad luck, so something had to happen to even out all the good deeds happening towards me.

With a split second hesitation and reluctance, which stemmed from the thought of interacting and being coming somewhat sociable with the mechanic, I sighed and grabbed both handlebars of my bike, kicking the stand back up. I pushed it up the short way to this 'Black-Swan Motors'.

The garage was average size, maybe fitting two or three cars in to be serviced at once while an office-type building was attached to the back of it. They looked busy, all three car slots were sitting within the actual building, their hoods popped, whilst an additional two were parked in the lot off to the side, waiting for their turn.

I wondered if I was even going to get served. They had to work by some sort of appointment rota or something. Music blasted from inside; some sort of Rock. Several guys were bopping their heads to the beat of the drums.

Off to the right of the garage, I saw two massive, tanned guys leaning over a steaming engine of an old Honda. It looked to me that it was on its last legs, if not retired already. They were arguing, but I had no idea what about, nor did I care. All I wanted was to get my tyre changed so I could get settled in at 'home' and take long, scalding shower.

A deep, cheerful voice to my left made me pause.

_Well, that's just great! I couldn't get the arguing duo; I had to get a guy who thought he had to live every day to the fullest and was high on some sort of happy bullshit_, I thought to myself sarcastically

Slowly, I turned to see a guy much like the duo – large, dark russet skin, black hair and muscular. He had a pleasant smile on his face, his pearly white teeth on full show, but I didn't bother trying to return it. I was sure any smile attempt on my part would result in a grimace; I was so out of practice.

The last time I smiled? Grandmother was still alive, or at least that's the last time I'd genuinely smiled. I gave Hayley and my second family some unconventional, half hearted smiles, but they never seemed to notice the difference.

Like a typical mechanic, he had a dirty, greasy rag in his hands, which he used to unsuccessfully wipe the grease from his hands. He only worsened the black and grey smudges. He wore greasy, dark denim cutoff shorts with a thin black tee, which also seemed to be oily and holey in some places. Clearly, he wanted to be comfortable on the job.

"Hey, man, can I help you?" he asked cheerfully.

I nodded shortly, gesturing to my bike. He whistled in blatant appreciation, and I couldn't prevent the slight smug smirk that pulled at the corner of my mouth in response. She was my baby.

"Nice ride, man! 2005?"

I coughed slightly, shrugging with an affirmative nod. He grinned and moved moved towards the bike, crouching down. He whistled appreciatively again, grinning wider.

"Well, I can obviously see the problem. Not repairable, as I'm sure you've guessed. New tyre then?" he asked.

I nodded shortly again.

He smiled, unperturbed by my standoffish behaviour. "I'm Jacob. Jacob Black. Own the place. You new in town?" he asked, holding a hand out for me to shake.

"Seen me around before?" I asked quietly whilst promptly, and rudely, ignoring his outstretched hand.

He shrugged nonchalantly, still smiling as he lowered it to his side again. "Well, no, I guess not."

"Then I must be new in town, no?"

"Right." He chuckled, picking out a tyre that was identical to the one he'd just removed.

I watched as he secured it into place.

"Not much of a talker, huh?" he guessed correctly.

"I suppose not, no," I grunted in agreement as I turned my head away from his rising form.

Eye contact had always been awkward for me. I hated it with a passion. I had no desire to show anyone how weak I was. I knew many people who could show everyone their whole past through their eyes, or their entire feelings. I didn't need to be doing that anytime soon. I glanced back at Jacob, seeing that he was smiling all too brightly. This guy was _too_ cheerful. It made me queasy.

"I'm gonna take a guess and say you're the guy moving into Harrison's old place?" he asked as he rang the job through the register.

I nodded, shortly. I just wanted to get out of here and home. Why did this guy have to talk so much, and with so much lightness? I sighed, impatiently and if he heard it, he didn't react in any way.

"Harrison?" I asked in confusion. I never knew who owned the place before me, not that I particularly cared either.

"Yeah, died a few months ago, poor bloke. Heart attack or something," he replied absently. "Of course, his family had the place done up before they sold it. I hear it's nice."

Damn, this guy even spoke about the dead with a bit of cheer. Was everyone on this Rez like him because I could see this to be a big problem if they were. And what better, easier way to fit in a crowd of happy-go-lucky, cheerful townsfolk, being the morbid, depressing guy that I am? Oh, this would be a sceptical for sure.

"Alright, name?"

"Chris. Tyler." I answered lowly. He scratched the name down and signed a receipt.

"Since you're a resident of the Rez, you get my time free of charge so that'll just be $170 for the tyre."

"Sure, whatever." I shrugged, forking over the cash as he gave me the receipt with a smile.

"Thanks, have a nice day."

_Fat chance of that, dude, but I'm sure you'll have one good enough for the both of us,_ I thought back dryly as I raised my hand in acknowledgement on my way out the shop.

The arguing duo looked up as I passed by them, morbid curiosity and slight disbelief in their eyes as they gawked at me. I supposed I'd have too, if I saw a guy dressed in full biking leathers, shoulder-length black hair and a black bike helmet hooked around his elbow walking passed. Of course, the hard, dark look on my face only served to fuel their curiosity.

It's not like I knew any different expression – I've worn this one for the last ten years, give or take.

Their eyes never wavered as I stalked to my newly repaired bike. I wasn't paying attention which resulted in me bumping into this large guy who had clearly befriended steroids at some point in his life. We both stumbled, but I managed to steady the two of us before stalking by him with a barely audible, half-hearted grunt of apology. He began to incessantly apologise behind me as I straddled my bike, but rudely, I paid him no mind.

I gunned the engine, kicking off the stand before bracing my feet against the dusty ground. I yanked on my helmet, conscious of the entire lot still watching me. I gunned the engine again before peeling out of the parking lot, spraying dust particles and gravel as my back wheel spun with the acceleration. It was a huge relief to me when I was finally out of their eye sight.

I came to a stop a few blocks away, staring up at the house that I would call 'home' for the next year or so whilst I finished up my Senior year at LPH. I took my helmet off, shaking out my mop of hair before looking back at the house.

It was simple, larger than the majority here on this Rez that I've seen. I heard that this house had been in the previous family's possession for a few generations. It was more than what I would need, what with the three spacious bedrooms, two full bathrooms, an ample kitchen and comfortable living room. I didn't choose the house for its amenities. It was only due to the fact that it was the first I'd come across for sale here. I wasn't fussy and wanted to get the hell out of Maine as fast as I was able.

The garden itself was clean and tidy with a few different bedding plants in the soil bordering the house. It was all probably the fruits of Harrison's labour. I wasn't much of a gardener so it would only go to waste unless I got someone in to maintain it, which was unlikely.

I left my bike in the driveway, kicking down the stand absently before making my way towards the front porch. Climbing the three small steps onto the wooden deck, I pulled my key-chain from my pocket and fingered through the few keys that came with the house to find the front door key.

To my right, there was two well-maintained benches sat either side of a rectangular table, only a taster of what was sold with the house. When I bought it, I was relieved to find out that it was completely furnished. At the time, I didn't care why, and I still don't, not really, but Jacob's words flashed through my mind about this guy dying.

I wondered if he had any family to take care of his stuff, or whether they didn't care about any of it if they just sold it off. I will never find out, as if I'd want to. Didn't even know the guy.

I slowly unlocked the door. The loud click seemed ominous, but I ignored it and pushed the door open before stepping inside.

You're probably wondering how I could afford a house like this.

Turns out my mother had opened a trust fund for me before I was born. She and Grandmother deposited half of their salary into it every month until I was born. My grandmother continued afterwards. Then there was the ridiculous amounts of interest building up on top of it..

After my mother had … died … all of her belongings were liquidised and the money was then deposited into the trust for me. Only a few items survived the mass sell, one of which hung around my neck on a silver chain. And then, when my grandmother died, they did the same with her stuff as well, including her house, liquidising it into money for my trust fund.

I got the shock of my life when I looked at it after I'd emancipated myself from the State. To say I was surprised by the sum was an understatement, but living my life with barely anything, I learn the value of money and a roof over my head. I wasn't one to go and splash it out. The most expensive thing I bought, beside the house, was my bike, which was also the first thing I bought.

Riding was my haven. The only time I felt remotely happy was when I had that bike beneath me, sprinting down the open road. I gave me time to think – no fuss – no interruptions. Just me and my thoughts. It also gave me the opportunity to control something that could potentially end my life. To be in control of something like that, after having no say about my life for so long, was pure bliss.

I sighed, shaking the thoughts from my head as I peered around my new house. I refused to call it 'home' yet. I knew that it would come in time.

The first thing I took in were the stairs, since they were directing in front of me, ascending up to the right while hugging the wall. The second was the two archways, both of which stood to my left. One clearly led to the kitchen while the other opened up the living room. The floors were dark wood whilst the walls stood painted a darkish brown.

That was the one thing I asked for – that all the walls were painted over. I've never been one for colour, which was constantly reflected by the black clothes I wear all the time. When the family before had redecorated, there were all sorts of colours splashed around the whole house. I requested that they repaint everything, and that they charge me for it along with the house.

I shoved my bike helmet onto one of the dark wood tables which stood on either side of the double front doors. I made my way towards the kitchen.

It was spacious and modern with great appliances and an island work bench. On my left as I entered, there was a small bar and sink. To my right, the dining table stood – black with grey, high-back chairs. Ten of them. There was one exterior door leading out to the back porch as well as an additional door, behind which I would explore later.

I turned my attention back to the kitchen as I felt myself become parched. I crossed over to the fridge, opening it up only to groan in disappointment. Of course I was going to have to do the grocery shopping myself. I don't know what I was expecting, to be honest. Water it is then. I turn from the fridge, slamming the empty door shut and turn the tap on, moving my mouth under it since I couldn't be bothered to find a glass.

Taking one last look at the kitchen, I turned to exit via the archway, dragging my feet towards the second archway I saw. The living room. The colours were light and neutral, the room open which isn't usually what I went for, but it would have to do. I knew that this would be the room I spent most of my time in so I might as well get used to it.

Flopping down onto one of the three leather couches, all square-angled from each other, I flipped on the large TV, opposite me. I didn't pay much notice to the channels flickering before my eyes. Honestly, I'd never watched much TV in my life and wasn't interested in starting now. There was just nothing better to do with my time right now.

After about an hour, I decided there _had _to be something better to do. I determined that if I was going to eat tonight, I would have to go grocery shopping so I peeled my butt off the couch and grabbed my keys, wallet and cell phone.

The bike obviously wasn't going to help me carry my groceries home so I walked the short distance. I'd just carry the stuff home.

I received annoying stares and hushed whispers as I traversed through Ateara's General Goods store. I ignored them because they didn't matter. All I cared about was getting back to the house so I could cook up some food. At the checkout, I recognised one of the two working on the Honda back at the garage. Did he have it so hard he needed two jobs or something?

He looked shocked to see me there and kept staring at me as he mindlessly scanned each item through. I busied myself with packing them up into the paper bags to avoid eye contact with him. God, I hate that shit. He cleared his throat once he was done, but I still didn't raise my head. Instead, I pulled my wallet from my back pocket and opened it up.

"How much?" I asked in a flat tone.

"$95.27, please." he answered.

I pulled out my card and handed it over. I could still feel his eyes on me as he did the transaction and handed me my card back.

"Thanks." I told him begrudgingly as I scooped up all the bags into both arms.

"Sure thing," he replied kindly with only a small hint of disbelief in his voice.

Carrying the groceries home was easy enough, as was packing them all away. I decided to make myself some fajitas simply for the fact that they were easy enough. One of the advantages of having lived with the Marvins was that my foster mother taught me everything she knew about cooking.

I was vaguely aware of the time passing by as I cooked, hearing the annoying ticking of the clock hung on the wall. I silently thanked the kid at the store for not asking for any ID before he scanned the crate of beer I'd placed on the conveyor belt. I lifted the beer bottle to my lips and took a big gulp, stirring the frying chicken in the pan with my other arm.

Out the corner of my eye, I saw several cars drive down the road and prayed that they would keep on going, but something in my head was telling me that wouldn't be the case. Sure enough, seconds later, there was a knock on the door, followed by the doorbell. I supposed it was too much to ask for to have at least tonight for myself. I waited to see if they'd get bored, but they were persistent as they rang the doorbell again. I sighed heavily.

Turning off the stove, I made my way towards the front door and took my sweet time about it as well. I noted the multiple shadowy figures through the frosted glass in the door before I yanked it open. My eyes dropped to a man sitting in a wheelchair, a smile that was so familiar spread across his face.

_Where had I seen that smile before?_ I asked myself.

I stood there silently, leaning casually against the door frame with my arms crossed over my chest as I waited for him to say something, anything, but he just kept grinning at me. Creepy. I could hear several whispers behind him, but I paid them no mind, keeping my gaze fixed upon the older man before me. I chanced a glance at the guy behind the wheelchair, recognising the guy who changed my tyre.

_Jacob … That's why the smile looked so familiar. Wheelchair guy must be his Dad or something. Perfect._

There were a couple other older guys, an older woman and then a shit load of young guys bulked up on steroids, just like that kid I bumped into. Must be a gang or something. As far as I was aware, doctors don't prescribe those things by the bucket load. But what did I know?

Several minutes of awkward silence ensued before I sighed impatiently and asked, "Yes, can I help you with something?"

It was rude, but that was just me. The wheelchair guy just smiled wider at me, as did Jacob.

"You must be Christopher Tyler?" the guy asked pleasantly.

I shrugged without commitment. "Chris. Chris Tyler … and you are?" I replied, cocking an eyebrow.

"I'm Billy Black. It's a pleasure," he introduced, holding a hand out for me to shake.

I stared at it for a bit. Did he want me to shake it?

_Good luck with that, _I scoffed inwardly. I looked back at his face and his somewhat knowing smile.

"Chief of the Tribe here, right?"

He nodded once.

I sighed and then said, "Right. Is there something you needed?"

This time in response to my rudeness, several of the younger guys growled at me. Fucking freaks. I shot them a glare before looking back at Billy.

"I wondered if we could speak with you? Is it a good time?" he asked politely.

I grimaced slightly and muttered, "Well, not really but whatever. Come on it, I guess." I opened the door wider, allowing him passage into the house.

He smiled thankfully and wheeled himself in, all the others close on his wheels. Some of the guys glared at me as they entered.

"The fuck do you think you're glowering at, assholes? This is my house, and I'm rude enough to throw you the fuck out," I rumbled in annoyance.

The biggest guy glared at me harder, stepping up to me. Some of the other guys seemed to be surprised that I was as tall as him, just not as buff. "Why you little fu–"

"Sam, leave the boy be. He's right. We're in his household now. Show some respect," Billy called out from the living room, where he could still see what was happening out here in the hallway.

_Sam_ huffed and took a step step back before walking into the living room. I sighed and slammed the door shut. The echoed bang caused the pleasant-looking woman to jump slightly. I smiled at her apologetically as best as I could, which wasn't great. I didn't get off making woman jump.

That wasn't cool.

"Sorry, Ma'am," I mumbled lowly.

She smiled, shrugging. "That's alright, Chris. This is a lovely home you have here." she complimented sweetly. "I'm Sue Clearwater."

"Great to meet you, Ma'am," I said with a nod.

"Please, call me Sue."

"Of course, Ma'am," I agreed, clearly lying my ass off.

She chuckled. The sound was sweet but foreign to me. It made me uneasy. "You're not going to call me Sue, huh?" she guessed.

I simply smiled slightly, shaking my head.

She rolled her eyes. "I smell food. Would you like me finish off while you speak with the men?"

I looked at her dumbfound. Was she for real?

"Uh … no, thank you, Ma'am. I got it. Please, make yourself at home in there," I replied, pointing over to the living room where every fucker had sprawled out like it was their norm.

I gritted my teeth and made into the kitchen, plucking a piece of fried chicken from the pan as I made my way to the fridge. I took out a few beers, a bottle of water and some sodas for everyone, taking them back into the living room. I set them out over the coffee table and then handed the water to Sue, who thanked me quietly. I simply nodded.

I leaned up against the empty shelves beside the archway, glancing over the many bodies littering my floor as I took a pull of my beer. The guys had taken full advantage of my 'make yourself at home' and had turned on the TV, but Sue ordered it off as soon as I settled.

"So, let's start off with introductions. Of course, you know myself. This is my husband Harry and my daughter Leah," she began.

I nodded at the two. Leah was watching me with much interest and I smirked inwardly. She wasn't _anywhere near _my type.

"Then there's Billy, his son Jacob. You met at the garage this morning, right?"

"Sure did. Came in pushing his bike and left a cloud of dust when he left," Jacob chuckled, smiling at me. I smirked a tiny bit.

"My son couldn't be here tonight. He's out with a friend. You bumped into him this morning though," she added lightly.

I cleared my throat awkwardly. "Yeah...sorry about that." I muttered.

She smiled and shook her head dismissively before continuing, "The elderly chap over there is Old Quil, next to him is his grandson, Quil V."

"Ah, you're one of those families who hand down names through generations, right?" I asked, rolling my eyes.

Quil V smirked. "Unfortunately."

'Old Quil' hit him with his walking stick. Everyone but me laughed. Sue quickly moved on around the room. I received many grunts, occasional hellos. Sam and this guy, Paul, glared at me but before I could tell them to take a hike, Billy reprimanded them. I resolved to just ignore them after that.

Once introductions were out of the way, she turned back to me.

"Now, we know you're new in town, and we pride ourselves in knowing the town's residents so we're here to get to know you. Is that alright with you?" she asked, politely.

No, it wasn't but I didn't want to say no to this woman. She seemed sweet, no matter how sickly it may be and I found myself unable to deny her anything. _Damn her_.

I shrugged one shoulder, looking bored. "Sure, whatever." I mumbled, sipping my beer.

"Okay, so how old are you because you don't look my older than my boy?" she asked, smiling. I sighed.

"Seventeen." I replied. I saw her shock.

"Wow, really? Younger than my boy then. Seth's 18," she said, clearly surprised.

I half smiled.

"Why does it seem to be only you here?" Old Quil asked gruffly.

"Uh, because it is, Sir," I replied.

He and the other older men frowned.

"What of your parents?" Harry asked in confusion.

I stared at him blankly. The question shouldn't have, but it caught me off guard. I hadn't even known I was staring until Harry frowned and Sue asked,

"Chris, are you alright?"

I looked away, frowning. "What about them?" I asked, shortly.

"Where are they? Why have they let you come here alone?" Old Quil asked, obviously not liking the tone I was using to address him.

I sighed. "Well, my Dad doesn't give a blind toss. He's dead to me and always will be, and my mom ... it's kinda hard for her to make decisions for me from where she is," I trailed off lowly.

Sue frowned as her eyes glided over my face. The concern and horror on her face as the truth registered in his mind. It was Sam who asked anyway. What was this guys problem?

"And where is she?" he asked insensitively. Sue gasped.

"Samuel! Can't you see the look one the boy's face?! If you'd pay more attention you'd be able to figure out that she's ..." she trailed off, glancing at me apologetically for her rant.

I smiled at her slightly, turning to Sam.

"She's dead." I deadpanned, looking him straight in the eyes.

He had the decency to look ashamed and all the other guys bowed their heads, sadly.

"I'm sorr-"

"Nah, don't worry about it. I don't. Why don't you finish off and ask me how?" I snapped angrily.

He looked away. "No? I'll tell you then. She was murdered. By me."

There was a collective gasp around the room.

"Wh-what?" Sue spluttered, utterly horrified.

I sighed. "She died during...childbirth." I mumbled, looking at my hands before getting up to the kitchen to grab another beer.

Damn, I wished I could get drunk tonight so I could forget about this whole conversation. I knew that I couldn't though, being at school tomorrow and all. I grabbed another beer from the kitchen anyway before returning to the living room. Everyone was sombre, and I noticed that the Paul guy had vanished. I couldn't look at Jacob, seeing the pity and sympathetic smile marring his face.

I didn't want their fucking pity.

I retook my spot against the shelves and glanced at Sue as she sniffled. There was so much pity in her eyes, I had to look away.

"You ... You think you murdered her?" she whispered sadly.

I sighed deeply. "I don't want to talk about it. Now please, continue with the damn questions so I can eat in peace," I snapped.

Guilt rose up from within at the hurt look on her face, but she nodded in acceptance.

Old Quil cleared his throat awkwardly. "I apologise for breaching such a sensitive subject so ... insensitively. I never thought what their absence could mean."

I shrugged dismissively, eager to finish this and for them to leave me the hell alone so I could dwell in peace.

"Right ... well, do you wish to attend the school here?" Billy asked me.

I nodded. "I start tomorrow. Senior," I replied quietly.

He nodded.

Sue smiled. "The same year as my boy. Maybe you'll have classes together and become friends?" she mused, hopefully.

I laughed humorlessly in my head.

"Right ... maybe." I said, uncommitted.

"How do you plan to contribute to the community?" Old Quil asked.

I stare at him blankly. "Contribute?" I asked in confusion.

"Every resident has to contribute to the community some way or the other, what with us being so small. We try to make each others lives as easy as our own." Sue explained.

I nodded, frowning. "I doubt you'd want anything I'd have to offer." I said quietly.

"Well, we'll see. What are you talents?" Sue asked.

I shrugged.

"Music? Arts? Literature?"

"Uh ... I dunno. I'm handy with a blade, I guess. And art. I draw a lot."

"Know anything about cars?" Jacob asked thoughtfully.

I shrugged, nodding.

He grinned. "My garage needs another mechanic. My friend, Embry. His wife's expecting and is due in a few weeks. He's taking the time off with her. You interested?" he offered genuinely.

Again, I stared at him, blankly. Shocked.

"You're offering me a job?" I asked, surprised. He nodded, smiling. I shrugged. "Sure. That would be great actually. Thanks a lot."

"You can start any time. I'm guessing you'll want to settle in here before you do anything like that," he said considerately.

"Nah, I could start tomorrow after school if you want," I offered.

He seemed surprised but smiled. "It's totally up to you." he shrugged.

I nodded.

"What about your homework though? No doubt you'll get some tomorrow," Sue said motherly.

I stared at her. I seem to be doing that a lot here. These people are unreal. I shrugged.

"I'll find time to do that," I replied nonchalantly.

"You're schooling should come before anything else, young man," Sue scolded.

I stared at her, dumbfounded.

"Ignore my wife. She's bossy to everyone," Harry told me as he nudged his wife, who stuck her tongue out at him.

I turned fast enough not to see him kiss her. That would have made me puke.

"I'm sure I'll get my homework done every night, Ma'am. Don't worry about me."

_No one else has done in the past._ I added in my head with a small smile.

She huffed but nodded.

"Are we done here or is there more?" I asked her.

"Just one more thing ... might we ask ... who your father is? If you know?" Billy asked cautiously.

I stared at him, blankly. Again.

"No."

"No? No, you won't tell me or no, you don't know?" he asked, confused.

"I don't want to talk about that man. I told you once before and I'll tell you again – He. Is. Dead. To me. Don't bring him up again. Not in this house or around me. I'm sorry, Sir. I don't mean to be rude, at least not this time, but you can't understand the intense rage and disgust I have for that man. So please, if you don't mention him again, I'd appreciate it," I gritted out through clenched teeth.

Billy seemed okay with my outburst, even looking slightly sheepish himself.

"I'm sorry. I'll respect your wishes and not mention him again." he conceded. I nodded once.

"Well, that's it. Thank you for your time, Chris."

I nodded, shortly. "Don't worry about it ... Just, call next time, if you don't mind me asking," I requested politely.

He smiled and nodded.

"Of course, Chris. We're sorry to keep you from your dinner," Sue apologised.

I smiled slightly, moving to open the door for them all to leave. The big guys left first, throwing curious glances over their shoulders, a glare in Sam's case.

_What the fuck was that guy's problem?!_

Billy held his hand out to me again, and I didn't want to disrespect him again by not taking it. He seemed like a cool guy so I shook it, as briefly as it was, but firmly. He looked proud that I did, and I was shocked to see such an emotion aimed at me.

_These Rez people were going to send me into a fucking spiral with all this positive emotion. I swear to god, are they all on happy pills or something?!_

"Goodbye, Son," he bid farewell.

I froze at the endearment. Son. He'd called me Son.

I stood there for a long time after they'd all gone, my mind reeling over what no one else in my life had ever called me before, not even one of my 'Dad's.

Eventually, I slammed the door shut and mechanically moved to the kitchen, taking out my food and another beer before settling at the island bar. I sat there eating, thinking about what just transpired.

I had a job.

On my first day here, I'd managed to find myself a job and a boss that thought that sunshine was the best thing after beer, car, grease and smiles. I knew working for him was going to be emotional torture, but I guess I might be able to desensitise myself from the emotion with being around it so much.

I really did know cars, and it was the perfect job. He mentioned nothing about working hours or a salary so I'm guessing he'll probably talk to me about that tomorrow. Fine with me.

I also couldn't get my mind off Sue. She reminded me so much of how I envisioned my mother to be like, had she survived. Bubbly, sweet and constantly smiling. That's also how Grandmother had described her and the way she looked in every photo I saw of her. I envied this Seth character for having a mother like her.

I went to be that night thinking about tomorrow and what life I could build myself here on this reservation. I closed my eyes, screams of my mother filling my head as I tortured myself with another scenario of my birth...

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**Chapter outfit compilation and banner on Photobucket. Be aware: Spoilers!**

**Thanks for reading! Please review if you feel up to it!**

**Love MrsWolfPack x**


	3. School

**Edited: **_**July 28, 2013**_

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**Hey, hey my lovelies!**

**Thank you for the reviews, alerts and favourites!**

**Yes, this chapter is longer than its original. **

**Beta: None. All mistakes are my own. **

**Without further ado … Enjoy!**

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**Previously on Clouded Joy...**

_On my first day here, I'd managed to find myself a job and a boss that thought that sunshine was the best thing after beer, car, grease and smiles. I knew working for him was going to be emotional torture, but I guess I might be able to desensitise myself from the emotion with being around it so much. _

_I really did know cars, and it was the perfect job. He mentioned nothing about working hours or a salary so I'm guessing he'll probably talk to me about that tomorrow. Fine with me._

_I also couldn't get my mind off Sue. She reminded me so much of how I envisioned my mother to be like, had she survived. Bubbly, sweet and constantly smiling. That's also how Grandmother had described her and the way she looked in every photo I saw of her. I envied this Seth character for having a mother like her._

_I went to be that night thinking about tomorrow and what life I could build myself here on this reservation. I closed my eyes, screams of my mother filling my head as I tortured myself with another scenario of my birth..._

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**Chapter Two**

**School**

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**Wednesday Morning,**

**August 22nd 2007**

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Sweat clung to my skin, muscles coiled with tension as I jolted awake, the images of my mother's agonised face still clear as day right before my eyes. My heart throbbed in my chest, the nightmare I'd just endured being more freakish than the last. They were certainly becoming worse with every night that passed, and I didn't know how much more I would be able to take.

I blinked several times against the pitch dark of my bedroom, noting that it was barely five in the morning. Self-loathing and anger bubbled in the pit of my stomach like battery acid as I masochistically reminisced the happenings during my unconsciousness.

Throwing an arm over my eyes, I panted wildly until my breathing returned to its regular pace and my body uncoiled, relaxing minimally into the sheets beneath me. Groaning, I shoved the comforter from across my waist and sat up, throwing my feet over the edge of the bed with a sigh. I sat there for a while, just catching my bearings with my eyes clenched shut and my fingers pinching the bridge of my nose. .

After a few minutes, I heaved myself up and stretched widely before reluctantly prowling through the darkened house. It was so quiet but living like I have my whole life, I could easily get used to it. It had been constantly noisy at the orphanage and family life wasn't exactly quiet either. It was refreshing change to have a place to myself, to be able to do whatever the fuck I wanted.

Not bothering to flip on the light, I rummaged through my drawers and took out a pair of black track pants and its matching jacket, slinging on a white wife beater on beneath it. Donning my running sneakers and iPod, I stalked down the stairs, still without flipping on any lights as I traversed towards the back door. It was drizzling slightly, but I didn't care; I just zipped up my jacket and set off towards the ominous tree line that bordered my property.

What better way to break out of a sleepy haze than a brisk sprint through the ice cold, dark forest?

I barely heard the lyrics of the songs as I ran deeper into the dark forest, only setting my pace to the heavy, almost violent beat of the song blasting my eardrums apart. My sneakers were caked with slushy mud that sprayed up my black track pants, but all i could focus on was the burn of my muscles, accompanied by that glorious racing of my heart.

I knew that if I asked any one of the residents on this reservation, they would say I shouldn't really be running in the forest. Period. But I loved the sense of danger surrounding me. I knew wolves were common in the area, regularly coming down from the mountains to hunt and mate. Of course, there was always a bear threat, but again, it just added to my adrenaline rush.

I had no idea how long I ran for, or where I was going, but I constantly felt like I was being watched or something. I could feel eyes on me, but when looked around into the darkness, I saw nothing; I wasn't sure if it was genuine or whether I was just losing my damn mind. I was inclined to believe the latter.

I somehow made it back to my house. I panted just inside the treeline, bent over with my hands on my knees while I caught my breath. Glancing down at my watch, I could see I'd been running for a good hour and a half, the time now being seven-forty.

I begrudgingly trudged back through my yard, feeling like I was being watched yet again. Strolling into the kitchen, I chucked my soiled tracksuits and sneakers into the laundry room for me to address later when I had time before reaching into the fridge for a bottle of water. i drained one whole one and half another before screwing the cap back on to take upstairs with me.

I then jogged upstairs in just my boxer briefs, stripping them before hopping into a skin scalding shower.I sighed as the warm water soothed my aching muscles in my back. I put my hands on the tiled wall and leant against it, dropping my head between my arms to hang loosely.

Twenty minutes later, I was dressed in my standard black, leather, biker pants and a plain black tee. My leather jacket was hung up by the front door, and I slipped my feet into my biker boots. I knew my appearance would garner stares, whispers and probably countless rumours, but I didn't give a shit. Let people talk; their opinion didn't even matter anyway.

In the kitchen, I put four slices of bread in the toaster before getting a beer out the fridge. I had a surprisingly high tolerance for the stuff, despite never drinking a drop before the emancipation. It was probably also a bad idea to drink beer before school as well, as one of the teachers could smell it on me, but I really didn't care.

Snagging my black leather biker jacket and school bag from their hooks beside the front door, I tore out of it and locked it behind me. I plucked my bike helmet from the seat of my bike and shoved it on, straddling my bike in the next second. I was gunning it to LPH as I barely ignited the engine.

High School here I come …

Heads swirled, mouths twittered and glares were thrown my way as I expected when I literally roared into the parking lot of the school. I paid them all no mind, lifting myself off the bike after kicking down its strand. I hiked my bag up my shoulder, hooking my helmet in the crook of my elbow before thrusting my keys into my pocket.

Glancing around me briefly, I saw the raw envy in some of the male population's eyes as they stared at my bike, one or two leers from a couple guys as well. I rolled my eyes at the large, lustful eyes of the girls. I really didn't have the patience for the sluts today, but I knew I'd get them despite what I wanted.

I kept my head down, hair falling in my face as I traversed the school parking lot. For a reservation so small, the school was quite fuller than I expected. Barely a problem though; just more people I had to ignore to survive this last year in high school. Foolishly, I had parked right at the back of the lot, so I had to walk through the throngs of annoyingly flirtatious chicks and wary males.

"Hey, Bad Boy, how fast does your engine go?" a slutty, black haired girl asked from leaning against the school wall.

Her cronies giggled and brayed around her, obnoxiously flipping their fake hair and pushing their flat chests out to flaunt what they _clearly_ didn't have. I caught a hint of tissue paper in one of the chick's bra and smirked. Unfortunately, the slut who spoke took that as encouragement.

"Why don't you come on over here, baby. I'll show you a good time," she tried to purr but sounded a little strangled, personally.

I rolled my eyes as I passed her, ignoring her completely. Obviously, she hadn't been expecting that and huffed in surprise. I heard her ridiculously high heels clopping behind me as she staggered to catch up with my long stride. I shivered in revulsion as her hands landed on my back, wanting nothing more than to turn and tell her to fuck off.

Instead, I shrugged her off.

"Hey, hey, don't be like that. It's a simple offer. Say yes, and I promise you won't regret it, big boy," she purred/strangled again, reaching around me to try and actually grab my cock.

I hit her hand out the way, sent her a withering look over my shoulder and then lengthened my stride. She was practically jogging to keep up now.

"Hey! Slow down! I can't keep up!" she complained in that really whiny voice chicks use when they don't get their way. "Come on, let me ride you ... I mean, _with you_ after school. I'd really like to experience it for myself, you know?"

And then she did the worst thing in my eyes. She pulled the face. _The face. _That fucking 'duck-face' that all chicks did these days. Fucked if I knew why; it was fucking ugly. There was absolutely nothing attractive about that face whatsoever. Why they thought guys found it so was way beyond my recognition. I honestly nearly groaned in disgust right then and there.

I stopped walking and took a deep breath. She staggered to a halt in front of me, planting her grubby hand on my chest. I batted it away lightly and glared down at her.

My answer was a simple, "No," and then I was striding off again, leaving her gaping. I sighed in relief when I didn't hear her following again.

Miraculously, I made it to my locker without any more interruptions, but my luck ran out when I got there. As I closed the metal door, a freaky kid with glass and really bad acne was stood right behind it, grinning widely as he stared up at me.

And I really do mean 'up at me'. What was he? Five foot, at best. Being a six foot four guy myself, the height difference was comical, and briefly commended this kid for his guts to approach me. Of course, it completely vanished as he spoke, his nasally voice tearing right through me like a nail on a glass window.

"Hi there! I'm Tod! I'm on the school newspaper! I really wanted to give you an interview! Because you look like a good guy who has a story to tell!" he near as damn shouted cheerfully.

I just stared at him.

He kept talking ... well, _shouting_. "I find you very interesting. I wanted to buy a motorcycle and wondered if you could give me pointers? you know? To perfect my bad boy look?"

Pointers? This kid wanted pointers?

I couldn't help but glance down his frame, noting the plaid shirt that was buttoned right up to his neck, a weird tree tie hanging down his chest and his bright blue jeans pulled way up his waist, shirt tucked in beneath it. My eyes drifted up to his face and the thick, black rimmed glasses hanging off his acne-ridden nose.

He wanted to 'perfect his bad boy look'? First, he needed to perfect his creepy nerd look. Perhaps buy some acne cream too ... _lots_ of acne cream.

I watched as he lifted his hand to adjust his _retainer_ and shook my head.

_Jesus Christ, was this school full of these freaks? God fucking help me. _

"Listen, Ted."

"It's Tod," he corrected me cheerfully, pushing his glasses up his nose but they promptly fell right back down again. .

I shot him a look. "I don't care," I deadpanned before continuing, "_Tod_, you need to get out of my face. I don't need this. You're not helping. You're a hindrance I do not care for. Not now, not later.. That was the nice way. If you don't leave, I'll resort to the hard way. What's it gonna be?"

_Tod_ blushed suddenly. "Oh, of course! How rude of me! It's only your first day! I should come back and ask in a few days, once you're more settled! I'm sorry! I'll come see you on Monday, okay?!"

Before I could reply, he was sashaying - yes, _sashaying_ - down the hallway and around the corner. Again, I took a deep breath and prayed that no more of the numpties of this school will approach me. What next? An emo wannabe? A Jock? Or Christ, a cheerleader?

I really didn't need this shit.

I turned and almost growled where I stood. The slut from the parking lot had crawled out from wherever she'd hidden and was now grinning maniacally up at me while stroking a finger up and down my chest. I resisted the urge to pinched the bridge of my nose again in frustration.

"Hey, baby! You got away last time. I know you didn't mean what you said. I'll let you make it up to me after school. Behind the faculty parking lot ... You won't regret it," she offered, grinning horrifically.

Did guys usually buy that shit? This slut was trying _way_ too hard.

I opened my mouth to outright tell this chick to fuck off when another chick spoke behind me, causing me to roll my eyes until I realised she was actually here to do _me_ a favour.

"Fuck, Lindsey, could you be any more of a slut? Get a hold of yourself and go flaunt your loose pussy in front of Jamie, you know, your _boyfriend_?"

"Fuck you, Leah. Just because you want him for yourself. Get lost, bitch, I'm on a good thing here," _Lindsey_ pathetically growled back.

_Leah_ snorted and finally came to step beside me. I side-glanced her. She had to be the resident Amazon with her copper skin and built frame. Slender, but with a hint of masculinity.

"Does he look remotely interested in you? No. Run along, Slut, and fall on some dick somewhere," Leah growled. "He wouldn't touch your infested pussy with a fifty foot pole."

"Shut the fuck up, Leah, and go bang your gang mates. You could have a proper gangbang and shit," Lindsey shot back, face reddening with anger or embarrassment.

What was this about a gang though? Was this chick really that deranged or was she speaking some truth? I doubt Sue Clearwater was the sort of woman and mother to stand by whilst her daughter joins gang ... but then, what the hell do I know? I just got here.

Leah laughed and took a threatening step towards her, towering over her cowering frame menacingly as she growled, "I'm telling you, bitch, fuck off or I'll fucking make you! I _won't_ leave your face in tact either. Run along now. Shoo."

The whole hallway was gaping at us.

Great.

Lindsey squeaked in fear before schooling her features, glaring at Leah and throwing me a 'seductive' grin before scurrying off down the hallway, trying to sway her hips. _Tod_ could sway his hips better than she could.

After a couple of minutes stood in silence, Leah and I turned to face one another simultaneously. She regarded me with curious eyes, but I was relieved to see the lack of lust and sluttishness I'd been subjected to since arriving.

"Chris, right," she stated, rather than asked.

I nodded anyway.

"You should try to avoid those bitches. They'd eat you alive ... though, you don't strike me as a guy that would fall for her bullshit," she ... complimented, I think.

What type of guy did she think I was? She barely knew me.

"Thanks," I muttered lowly, my eyes flicking to the side when a couple of beefy guys walked up and stopped by us.

"Hey, Lee," one greeted, his eyes shifting to me before widening comically with awe and disbelief. "Hey, you're that guy! From the garage!"

"Yeah ... what of it?" I grunted, narrowing my eyes at him.

He blushed deep red and ducked his head. "Nothing ..." he murmured.

Leah rolled her eyes suddenly. "Don't mind Collin. He's a curious little fucker. These guys are my brothers friends. I guess I tolerate them," she sighed with a half shrug while Collin and his friend protested. "So we'll leave you alone. God knows Tod and Lindsey will be the last to bother you today. You know where you're going and shit?"

I nodded briskly.

"Great. guys, let's go," she barked, turning to lead the way down the hallway with the two following like lost sheep.

I turned and walked in the opposite direction towards my first class. I was aware of the stares, gawks and whispers but ignored them all as I entered my classroom and approached the teacher. She smiled up at me, making my stomach turn slightly at the sight. I handed a slip to her.

"Welcome, Christopher Tyler-"

"Chris … please?" I corrected her with a nonchalant shrug.

She smiled and nodded. "Sorry Chris, take a seat next to Seth there. I have a feeling you two might get along," she said, horrifically incorrect, I was sure.

I laughed humorlessly in my head as I trudged between the double tables to the back, where another large kid was seated. He sat up straight as I sat down and dumped my bag on the floor. I didn't turn to look at him. I completely ignored him.

"Hey, I'm Seth."

"Not interested," I grunted, leaning forward in my chair.

I heard his surprised sigh. "Oh ... okay then," he mumbled, retracting the hand he'd held out for me to shake.

I felt his eyes on me throughout the entire class, listening to the teacher drone on and on about something I cared even less about. Seth would shift beside me, sometimes closer and sometimes further away, but his eyes never left the side of my head. It was very annoying. At least he didn't try to introduce himself again, which I was grateful for.

At the end, I packed up my bag and was the first out the door. I nodded to Leah as she passed in the hallway with her two sheep, still grateful for her intervention earlier. Apart from that, i'd developed a hint of respect for the Amazon and felt weird ignoring her. I heard my name mentioned as I turned the corner, recognising Seth's voice as he said it.

The rest of that morning went surprisingly without a hitch. I was in a few of Leah's classes as well as the second kid that was with Leah and Collin. Brady, I think they called him. I kept myself to myself and never spoke to anyone. I felt more comfortable that way. I dodged questions that were thrown my way, unless they were from a teacher of course. I answered every single one of them perfectly.

By the time lunch came, I was just about ready to explode with frustration and boredom. All I wanted to do was go home to have a good few beers and some Chinese food.

The lunch room quieted dramatically when I entered. Just like I had all morning, I paid them all no mind and trudged my way towards the lunch line, keeping my face forward and unapproachable.

I stopped behind a tiny kid, who I assumed to be a freshman by his mere size. He kept glancing back at me over his shoulder nervously, probably expecting me to pull out a knife and slit his throat with it or something. Every time I met his gaze, he practically broke his neck trying to face forward again. As if I wouldn't catch him staring.

When my turn came around to get food, I didn't. I only purchased a couple bottles of water before making my way back out the cafeteria doors. I walked past Leah and the guys as they made their way towards the cafeteria. They stopped walking and watched me approach the school doors. As I opened them, a voice stopped me.

"Hey, Chris!" leah shouted out.

I didn't glance back, only waiting for her to continue.

"Wanna come eat with us? We don't bite," she said dryly.

I did glance back at her this time, shaking my head and smirking as I replied, " Maybe not ... but I do."

"But you still have to meet my broth-" she cut herself off as a kid came running through the end doors and straight into me.

I grunted at his sheer size slamming into me but managed to steady him before he could hit the ground. It was funny, what with _me_ being the smaller of the two of us, that I hardly moved an inch under his weight.

My fingers brushed against the bared skin on his arm and was startled by the tingling electric jolts that zapping up my arm at the touch. I let him go like he'd burned me, striding away while scowling down at my traitorous hand in confusion. I heard Leah and Seth call out behind me as I strode out of the school, straight towards my bike.

I didn't even bother to collect my helmet from my locker, so rattled by the contact that I just had to get out of there. I didn't want to stay there another second. I straddling my bike, ignoring the tingles in my right arm as my hand clenched around the handle. I tore out the school parking lot, feeling eyes watching me from the front doors.

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**This is twice the length of the original chapter I posted. I realise this story is a bit dark and wanted to add a little more humour into it. **

**Thanks for reading! **

**Love MrsWolfPack x**

**NOTE: Please bear in mind that there will be spoilers for not only Clouded Joy, but it's sequel, Clouded Destiny, on my Photobucket. If you're reading for the first time, please be cautious of that fact whilst browsing. Thank you. **


	4. Drool

**Edited: **_**August 2, 2013**_

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**Hey, hey my lovelies!**

**Thank you for the reviews, alerts and favourites!**

**Again, I'm making this chapter longer than its original. **

**Beta: None. All mistakes are my own. **

**I don't own. I only play.**

**Without further ado … Enjoy!**

**=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=**

**Previously on Clouded Joy...**

"_But you still have to meet my broth_–_" she cut herself off as a kid came running through the end doors and straight into me._

_I grunted at his sheer size slamming into me but managed to steady him before he could hit the ground. It was funny, what with me being the smaller of the two of us, that I hardly moved an inch under his weight._

_My fingers brushed against the bared skin on his arm and was startled by the tingling electric jolts that zapping up my arm at the touch. I let him go like he'd burned me, striding away while scowling down at my traitorous hand in confusion. I heard Leah and Seth call out behind me as I strode out of the school, straight towards my bike._

_I didn't even bother to collect my helmet from my locker, so rattled by the contact that I just had to get out of there. I didn't want to stay there another second. I straddling my bike, ignoring the tingles in my right arm as my hand clenched around the handle. I tore out the school parking lot, feeling eyes watching me from the front doors. _

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**Chapter Three**

**Drool**

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**Wednesday Afternoon,**

**August 22nd 2007**

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**Seth's Point of View**

Two.

That was the amount of times I'd bumped into the same guy – the same fuck-hot, bad-ass guy sex God – and both times he has rushed off like his sexy ass was on fire before I had the chance to apologise properly ... or even get a glimpse of his bloody face.

Even in the one class I sit next to him in, I wasn't able to get that coveted glimpse of his face. In the classes I had with him but didn't sit beside him, he always sat at a table closer to the front, so all I could stare at all lesson was the back of his head.

The guy was a mystery, constantly keeping his long, jet black hair covering his face and hardly ever talking. The only time I heard his voice was if he was flawlessly answering one of the teachers' questions. He was hot _and smart_. Win-win.

As I stood beside my sister at the school doors, watching him zoom off on his bike, all I could think about was how he'd made me feel. My arm was still tingling from where he touched me, and I could also still feel the lingering hurt I'd felt when he'd dropped me like a hot potato to get the hell away from me.

What the fuck was up with me? I was losing my damn mind.

He was the God of all Sex Gods. Fuck ... he was.

He was _so hot_. Being openly gay had never felt so good whenever I got to stare at his deliciously round ass or watch how his muscles flexed as he walked, leaned and even while he was writing his damn notes in class. Instead of writing my own, all I could stare at was how the muscles in his forearms flexed and twitched beneath the skin as his pen fluently scribbled across the page.

When I first saw him ... at the garage ... I couldn't help but wonder if he was for real. I mean, leather-clad, bad-ass biker boys only existed in movies, right? At least, that was what I believed until Chris Tyler literally rode into town. There was a darkness to him as well, something dangerous. I was torn between running in the opposite direction and delving right into him, to attempt to figure him all out.

When he strode into Jake's garage yesterday, towing his bike beside him, my eyes had instantly been drawn to his tight leather jeans, marvelling in how they hugged him perfectly. All muscle was displayed for me to devour and what i would have given to see what he was harbouring in that sexy prison around his crotch.

He seemed so freaked out by our encounter, even more so than the first time. He caught me by my bare arms and it had felt so good, but he completely freaked out. I wouldn't be surprised if I never saw him again. Dramatic, probably, but the thought of it becoming a reality actually ... stung a little.

"Seth, dude, stop. You're about to drool into your pizza," Brady teased me loudly as a slice of cucumber simultaneously hit me in the side of the head.

I snapped out of it and glared at my best friend, trying to subtly wipe my mouth in case he was being serious. They bellowed with laughter at the motion, and I couldn't fight off the blush that spread across my cheeks.

"Wow, Sethie, I don't think I've ever seen you so keyed up about a guy before," Leah teased, grinning at me from across the lunch table.

I rolled my eyes and threw the same piece of cucumber at her. She squeaked in surprise and batted it out of the air before it could hit her, glaring at me as she wiped her slimy hand on Collin's arm. I grinned innocently and shrugged, picking up a slice of pizza to nibble at it with responding to her question.

She's my twin sister and I love her, I do but damn, she could be the most annoying bitch that I know!

"Oh, come on, Sethie, you know I think it's cute."

I groaned. "Don't call me that, Lee," I whined, shaking my head at such a baby name. "Just because I'm gay doesn't mean you can treat me like a freaking girl or sister or whatever."

"Oh, you love it," she griped, rolling her eyes.

Yeah, she was right, I did, but I wasn't about to admit that to her, especially with some of my brothers sitting at this table. They would never let me live it down after they told Jake and damn, _Paul_. He'd go on _forever_.

"You know what I want to know?" Collin asked, cocking an eyebrow my way.

I lifted my brow in question. "What's that?" I asked, taking a bite of pizza.

"Why the hell were you running in the first place?" he asked, confused.

I shrugged, playing off the question, but really not wanting to answer it at all. I didn't need them getting on my back for not telling them sooner that Jeffrey Hawkins was making it his life goal to make the entire span of my educational career a living hell.

It all started in Kindergarten when our teacher gave me the better ball and had reprimanded him when he tried to take it off me ten minutes later. He was just a jealous ass who can hold a grudge for a very, very long time. I didn't know what his problem was now-a-days apart from the ball thing, but it had gotten worse. I was just thankful that this year was my last and I could finally get away from him.

"Woo-hoo, earth to Seth. What's the deal?" Leah asked, waving her hand in front of my face to get me to resurface from my daydream.

I blinked and glanced around the table. They were all looking at me as if they knew they weren't going to believe the next words that came out my mouth before they even did.

I shrugged nonchalantly. "I was hungry," I lied, and they knew it.

Leah rolled her eyes, shaking her head but let it drop, thankfully. Collin and Brady shared a look but shrugged afterwards.

"Whatever, dude. Come on, we've got Gym for the next two hours," Collin told me, getting up from the table and dumping his trash in the bin as the bell rang.

I nodded, walking with him and B towards the school gym, across the parking lot. All the while, my mind was on Chris – hot, sexy, badass god of sex gods.

I couldn't help but notice his bike was gone as we passed the spot where it parked this morning and felt a flash of disappointment course through me. Brady seemed to have noticed and slung an arm around my shoulder without comment. I smiled up at him lightly as we entered the gym.

I changed quickly after gym, eager to get to work today for one reason only – it was Chris' first day. Or so he offered. Jacob was fine with him taking a few days to get on top of his homework and all that, but Chris declined, saying he was going to start today. I was thrilled when Brady told me during the second hour of our gym session and asked Coach to finish early, lying as I said that Mom wanted me home for something.

I practically fell into my clothes. I was buzzed with excitement and couldn't dress fast enough. I was running out the gym doors as the group was coming in after the final whistle had sounded from the coach. Collin and Brady smirked at me, shaking their heads in amusement, but I just blushed and ran on past, mumbling something about seeing them later before I disappeared from their view. I heard their laughter as I opened my car door.

Home was scarce. Leah was still obviously at school, Mom had work, and Dad should be coming in any minute from his council meeting. I hopped up our stairs two at a time as soon as I entered the front door, eager to get in my overalls and to Jake's shop.

I vaguely wondered what Chris would be wearing. Did he own a pair of overalls yet? The picture that I conjured in my head with him clad in some black, comfortably fitted overalls with the top down, hanging around his legs and only a simple white wife beater covering his chest. I pictured his muscles bulging beneath the material as he leaned and flexed over an engine, his round ass sticking up. I moaned aloud.

I slipped on a fresh shirt and my work boots before making my way downstairs. The door opened as I reached the bottom step, and Dad shuffled in, peering up suddenly, obviously making him jump as he spotted me on the stairs.

He clutched his chest and chuckled slightly. "Damn, Seth, you nearly gave me a heart attack," he laughed, shaking his head as he closed the door.

I blushed and ducked my head. "Yeah, sorry about that ... how was the council meeting?" I asked, entering the kitchen after him and getting a glass of water.

He sighed. "Boring, as ever. Nothing really happens around here anymore," he grumbled, peering over his shoulder at me with grin.

I rolled my eyes and waved on my way towards the front door. "I'm off to the garage. I'll be back later. See ya, Dad," I called, opening the front door. I heard Dad's vague reply as I closed the front door and hopped into my truck.

The ride towards Jake's wasn't long, but it felt like it took forever. I was surprised I could drive at all with my knee bouncing so bad with excitement and nervousness. I couldn't wait to see him.

My heart skipped a beat when I saw his bike already here, helmet propped up against the handlebars as it sat stationary next to Paul's black truck. I didn't even consider him to be here earlier than I'd expected but then, I shouldn't be surprised. He did leave school a lot sooner than I did.

I felt my mouth go dry slightly as I parked next to his bike, wondering what it would feel like to be behind him as he gunned it down the highway. It must feel good to have such ... power and force between your legs, right? I shivered simply at the thought but imagined _Chris_ to be the source of power and force, not the bike ...

I shook myself out my thought once again as I saw Jacob coming out from the back, turning back briefly to talk to someone who was still hidden from me. I sighed, glancing longingly at the bike before opening my door to hop out my truck. I slammed it closed again, making Jacob look up and wave. I waved back and watched as he spoke to the same person again before gesturing his head towards a fender bender that Mrs. Harrison wanted tuned up.

I was about to turn and head inside to the lounge area when my feet were suddenly bolted to the ground, my jaw hit the deck next to them. I sucked in a deep, startled breath as I looked up the best mental picture come to life I'd ever seen. My palms became sweaty and my mouth dried up like a freaking desert as I watched Chris sauntered out from his hiding place and follow Jacob towards the car.

I watched in awe at the muscles underneath that oh-so-perfectly imagined wife beater, only it was red and not white in this reality, rippled and pulled taut as he moved. It contrasted fucking amazing with his creamy russet skin, and I felt an urge to lick the smooth skin of his neck and shoulders, to scratch at him as he pounded–

_No, Seth, mind out the gutter or you'll become obviou–_ _Damn it, hello, Junior._

A particular part of my anatomy was _very_ pleased to see the amazing man striding away in front of me. Of course, I'd have liked it better if he was striding _towards_ me, but I guess I couldn't have everything my way. At least he was here.

My knees nearly buckled as he straightened up, reaching his hands back to wipe the grease and dirty across his backside.

_Mmm, his backside..._

"Yo, Seth, are you going to get some work done or just drool over the newbie?" Paul called, tauntingly.

I gasped, turning swiftly away from Jake and Chris, who had looked up at Paul's voice in question. I glared at my pack brother, who smirked back at me as he laughed with Quil and Embry, holding each other as they did so. I glared harder, huffing as I stormed towards the back, head ducked as I dared not to glance back and meet Chris' gaze as he watched me leave.

_Oh fuck ... Work just became like heaven and hell all at the same freaking time! Purgatory. That's it, I'm in purgatory ... Fucking A!_

**=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=**

**Thanks for reading, everyone! Drop me your thoughts if you like!**

**Love MrsWolfPack x**

**NOTE: Please bear in mind that there will be spoilers for not only Clouded Joy, but it's sequel, Clouded Destiny as well on my Photobucket. If you're reading for the first time, please be cautious of that fact whilst browsing. Thank you. **


	5. Weird Kid

**Edited: **_**August 3, 2013**_

**=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=**

**Hey, hey my lovelies!**

**Thank you for the reviews, alerts and favourites!**

**Again, I'm making this chapter longer than its original. **

**Beta: None. All mistakes are my own. **

**I don't own. I only play.**

**Without further ado … Enjoy!**

**=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=**

**Previously on Clouded Joy...**

_A particular part of my anatomy was very pleased to see the amazing man striding away in front of me. Of course, I'd have liked it better if he was striding _towards _me, but I guess I couldn't have everything my way. At least he was here. _

_My knees nearly buckled as he straightened up, reaching his hands back to wipe the grease and dirty across his backside._

Mmm, his backside...

"_Yo, Seth, are you going to get some work done or just drool over the newbie?" Paul called, tauntingly._

_I gasped, turning swiftly away from Jake and Chris, who had looked up at Paul's voice in question. I glared at my pack brother, who smirked back at me as he laughed with Quil and Embry, holding each other as they did so. I glared harder, huffing as I stormed towards the back, head ducked as I dared not to glance back and meet Chris' gaze as he watched me leave. _

Oh fuck ... Work just became like heaven and hell all at the same freaking time! Purgatory. That's it, I'm in purgatory ... Fucking A!

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**Chapter Four**

**Weird Kid**

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**Wednesday Evening,**

**August 22nd 2007**

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**Seth's Point of View**

Torture...

That's all I could possibly describe it as – complete, painful torture that I was forced to endure by my very idol and boss, Jacob Black.

I thought nothing of it when, after resurfacing from the back room and my utter embarrassment, Jacob placed me facing towards the entryway in the garage, working on a quad that had just come in. Why would I think anything of it? I worked in this spot practically everyday.

Never in the whole time I've been working here have I wanted to beg Jake for a different working space, one that didn't force me to have the object of my very fantasies working right before my eyes and tempting me with Chris' round, bite-able buttocks waving in my face only twenty feet away as he slaved over a quad bike that partnered with the one I was being distracted from.

Life just wasn't fair, and my Alpha was making it that way.

It didn't help that the entire workforce, _other than Chris_, knew of my predicament and were all trying to hold back their laughter, reducing them to almost sniggers, as to not draw out the attention of the one who I really didn't need looking at me right now. I was lucky that his back was to me ... his gorgeous, muscular back ...

The sweat coating of his skin didn't help either. I mean, he looked like some sort of magazine model with his tight wife beater that stretched over _every single one _of his muscles. And yes, he had a lot. And then there was his comfortably fitted overalls. I kept imagining that they were the only things he had on, whether he was going completely commando ...

Yeah, I know, I know, I'm a pervert. I accepted that as soon as he caught my sight right in this very garage that very first day he came into town.

I watched as the muscles in his forearms rippled like silky water as he fiddled with the engine some, thinking back to this morning as I watched him write his notes. I kept praying that his shirt would tear under the strain of his muscles every time he stretched too far over, just so I could get a naughty glimpse of the creamy russet skin underneath.

I had to hand it to him though – perviness aside – Chris was an excellent worker.

Albeit a very quiet worker, having chosen to listen to his heavy rock music on his iPod rather than joining in one the garage bickering and banter that always came and went throughout our shifts. He was self sufficient, knowing exactly where everything was as if this was his own garage and had been working here for months. He never had to ask Jake anything, which our boss found very impressive.

Damn, he was efficient too. By the time Paul, who was our best mechanic apart from Jake, had finished a motorbike job and a full service on an old Dodge, Chris had already finished the Quad he'd started out with, three motorbikes (but I guess that was his forte) a full service on Leah's beetle car and was now halfway through an oil and water changed on an old Chevy truck, one older than Bella's even, which was saying something. It seemed that he knew how to do pretty much everything that came his way without difficulty and never left a job half done.

Which was a major turn on, strangely enough.

I'd seen Jake eyeing his work appreciatively and knew that he was glad he'd hired him. Yeah, I was glad too but for reasons totally different than my boss'. I also knew that the other guys looked at him from time to time, curious and questioning looks on their faces at his almost secluded personality and attitude. He seemed to always want to separate himself from us, which actually pained me.

I'd seen the meeting from that first night in the guys' head and saw everything that was said and done. I heard his thoughts on his mother and watched how he handed himself, scrunched up on himself as if he was protecting himself from the outside world. Possibly even protecting the outside world from _him_.

It broke my heart to see and every time I ran it through my head, all I wanted to do was to make it all better, to hold him in my arms if he'd let me. Something in the back of my head told me that he'd never let me in and that hurt.

Let's hope my personality and sunshine attitude can break his barriers down.

"Alright guys, it's six so you can all head back to grab some grub," Jake called over the shop from the back.

I sighed in relief, having been starving for a good thirty minutes now, but also with disappointment because I couldn't watch him any longer without him noticing. With the way the break room was set out, several couches facing inwards, we were practically in a tight circle. He'd obviously see I was staring at him there.

I dropped my tools and my rag, turning to head back into the break room only to pause when everyone except Chris had moved from their posts. He was still leaned over his job, an intense look on his face as he tried to fit something in, and I had to stop for a minute and appreciate.

I wonder if he looked like that whilst he was– _No, Seth don't go there_. I peered around me, seeing that everyone was in the back room before shrugging and hesitantly approaching his hunched figure.

I took a deep breath as the details of his body and skin became richer for me, allowing me to appreciate them all that much more. As I got within touching distance, it took everything in me not to do just that, my fingers twitching with the strain to restrain myself. I had to link them together behind my back in a last ditch effort, otherwise I was going to embarrass myself yet again.

Hell, he might be one of those people who go ape shit if they're touched, and it would totally suck if the object of my desire broke my nose or kicked me in the gonads. That would be such a cockblock.

I cleared my throat nervously, watching as his body tense slightly. He sucked in a slow breath and held it, glancing in my general direction in some half-hearted acknowledgement. It was if he was checking if it was _him_ that was being alerted and not to see who it was.

I bit my lip as he relaxed a little and went back to his chore. I couldn't help but interpret that as some sort of dismissal and frowned slightly. I just wanted him to look at me, so that I could catch a glimpse of his mysterious eyes and see what colour they were. I cleared my throat again, causing him to sigh somewhat exasperatedly.

"Yeah, what's up?" he asked almost reluctantly, not bothering to remove his eyes from the spark plug in his hands.

I gulped loudly, shivering at the deep tenors of his voice. I let them seep right in my mind and...other places. I shivered again. "Oh, uh...I just wondered if you were, er, coming back. You know, to the break room? Jake called for break. We usually all, er, take it together," I spluttered, nervously.

This was the very first time I'd ever spoken to him, other than that embarrassing attempt to introduce myself in class, and I was shaking in my boots. This guy was so intimidating, it was unreal. _Paul_ didn't intimidate me this bad when I first met him, and that was truly saying something.

"I don't need a break. You go on ahead. I'll finish up here," he replied, gruff and low.

Cue shiver.

"Oh, well ... I just thought you might need and drink or whate–"

"I'm fine. Why don't you do us both a favour and listen to yourself. I'm perfectly fine here ... alone. Working. So just go," he snapped, irritated.

I felt a minuscule amount of hurt from his words and tone but had to remind myself that this guy obviously had some serious issues working through his mind and to not take it to heart. I took a deep breath and smile, though he still wasn't looking at my at all. I sighed.

"Okay, I'm sorry ... I'm Seth, by the way. You met my mom, Sue Clearwater?" I asked, knowing that he wanted me to leave him alone, but found myself captivated with being so close to him, unwilling to leave.

He sighed, almost tiredly. I felt slightly guilty for being a nuisance to him.

I was then shocked when he half extended his right hand across his body to me, under his left which was still holding the spark plug and his gaze. I slowly took his hand, biting my lip against the gasp that was begging to escape at his touch, the touch that sent my body zooming and on fire.

The tingles from that time in the hallway resurfaced, and he yanked his hand from mine, just like before. He felt them too, I know he did. He flexed his hand a little as if trying to rub them away. g I swallowed thickly, getting a handle on my very frayed nerves and forcing myself not to jump the poor unsuspecting guy.

Chris cleared his throat awkwardly, glancing at me but not _at me_ before mumbling, "I'm Chris. Yeah, I met your mom ... she's ... uh, love-ly." He hesitated on the word, as if it felt foreign coming from his lips.

I smiled anyway, glad that Mom seemed to have put an impression on this guy. "Yeah, Mom's awesome. She's ..."

Yeah, I went on for a while, wanting to stand in his presence for as long as I could get away with before he could tell me to fuck off. He just stood there, never looking at me as he concentrated on the job in front of him, acting like I was only a distraction that wasn't getting to him. He completely blanked me, but I couldn't bring myself to care. I was standing not two feet from him, and it felt awesome.

"Yo, Seth! Get your skinny ass in here and leave the poor guy alone! If he doesn't want a break, leave him!" Jake bellowed from the back.

I almost groaned, knowing my time with Chris had ended. I looked at him for another second before sighing. He didn't even look or say anything to me as I walked away, which hurt and left me slightly disappointed, but I was practically a stranger to him. Why would he pay me any attention?

When I entered the back, everyone turned to me and promptly began to fall over each other in laughter. I sighed, doing my best to ignore them as I took a seat beside Quil, who was leaning on Embry for support as they both cried with their amusement. Jacob was doing his best to try and hide his but was failing miserably, the bastard.

"Yeah, yeah, alright, that's enough," I called, biting deep into my PBnJ sandwich. It tasted as good as it did when I was eight. "Seriously guys, it's not even that funny."

"Seth, man, what the hell is wrong with you? You're acting like you've never seen a guy before," Jared laughed, making me scowled and cross my arms over my chest.

"Oh, he wants him. He wants Chris' body all over him," Paul taunted, high fiving Jared as they laughed almost hysterically.

"Who knew little innocent Seth would go for the brooding biker boys?" Quil quipped, grinning.

I growled, though he was right. I never saw myself heading in this direction at all. And again, Paul was right. I wanted him _all_ over me. I wanted that man to fucking consume me. I shivered slightly at the thought.

"I thought you were gonna burn a hole through his body with your intense gaze," Embry teased, smirking.

I rolled my eyes but smiled too.

"Alright guys, leave the poor kid alone. He's a teenager after all. "Jake chuckled, silencing the others but slipping in his own ribbing in the process.

I glared at him, making him chuckle a little more. "You guys are awful," I whined, pouting.

That, of course, made them all laugh again. Jake patted my shoulder.

"It's alright, Seth. I think if you managed to make him look back at you with even an inch of desire you seem to have for him, we'll all give you 200 bucks. He seems pretty secluded and after yesterday's conversation with my father at his house, I have no doubt that his life was a very, very unhappy one," Jake finished with a frowned, peering out the little window that look over the shop.

Chris was still out there, working his butt off on his third service car. We were unmanageably busy today, one of the busiest days we've ever had. That's the only reason why most of us are here. Jared, Paul and Embry wouldn't be otherwise. Hell, Embry was supposed to be take paternity leave for the new baby but offered to come in because we were so busy.

We all lounged around and ate our dinner. Most of us brought stuff from home that was either made by their wives, or in my case by Mom, or nuked something of their own. The break room was always filled with a mixture of aromas. I think that's why Paul loved it so much back here. Quil and Embry were joking around, pushing and shoving and at one point, we'd even gotten into a conversation about Em's baby that was on the way in a few weeks.

We got onto the subject of Quil's weekly girlfriend (What with little Claire only being seven right now) when Paul suddenly turned to me, smirking.

"Oh, Seth, and what would be your perfect ... man?" he asked, coyly.

I glared at him, knowing exactly what was going on in his head. "That's none of your business." I snapped, defensively, making them all chuckle and me blush.

"Oh, but Sethie, we all know that you was Chris to pound your little as–"

He cut himself off with a startled but amused look on his face as there was a knock at the door, Chris' face peering through hesitantly. I glanced around the room, avoiding my general direction.

Dread and embarrassment flooded through me. He'd heard. He'd heard what Paul had said. I was going to fucking kill him.

I could make out a very faint blush of Chris' cheeks, but he showed no emotion other than stoic as he continued to glance around the room. His eyes settled on Jake and he began to speak lowly, making my insides quiver.

"Uh ... Jacob, there's a woman out here. Short, brunette. I think she said her name was ... uh, Bella?" he mumbled, keeping his eyes to the floor.

I watched as Jake's eyes and face lit up at the name of his imprint, and he rushed out the room, thanking Chris before bellowing, "Bella, Baby, what you doing out here? Everything okay?"

His voice trailed away and an awkward silence filled its wake. I sighed, swallowing hard as I watched Chris in the doorway, shifting his feet nervously and looking like he wanted to be any place but in this room with us, with anyone. He was about to turn and head back to the shop when Paul spoke up.

"Chris, man, come sit down and eat something. You work like a freaking machine."

He hesitated, glancing at Paul with uncertainty. Paul just slapped a chair beside him. Chris sighed heavily, closing his eyes briefly in defeat before turning to walk into the room. My heart fluttered as he passed me, and I had to stop myself from reaching out and touching his warm ... _naked_ chest!

Oh my fucking sweet Jesus!

He took his shirt off.

How had I not noticed that immediately?!

He took his fucking shirt off!

I forced myself not to pass out as I surveyed his tight, russet muscles as they rippled beneath his skin whilst he walked, his overalls hanging so low on his hips that I could see the beginning of his 'V'.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that the tattoo I'd forgotten to mention earlier stretched much farther than I'd originally thought. A black tribal swirled around his arm in smooth dips and curls, stretching over his shoulder, shoulder blade and pectoral on his right side.

I bit my lip as I followed the swirls down, a few flicks near his belly button like arrows. It looked so cool. It descended down his entire right side, a few flicks disappearing into the waistband of his overalls, descending to ... lower places.

_Damn, fucking A _... I wondered just how far that went down and how far he'd be willing to let me trace it with my tongue. I could also see, just before he turned to take his seat, that the tattoo descended down his butt cheek too. _Oh my dear lord ... someone help me, please?_

I turned away before he'd have the chance to see that I was ogling him, though I could see some of the other admiring his tattoo like I had. I had the surprising urge to growl at them to stop, but they'd all think I was weird so held my tongue.

He gingerly sat on the edge of the seat, his elbows on his knees as he clasped his hands between them with his head bowed a little.

I noticed how his shoulders hunched, like they were a personified representation of the barriers he held around his mind and heart. It broke my heart to see him so broken and yet, so strong at the same time. He had a certain air about him. One that told you he'd been dragged backwards through hell by his extremities and had lived to tell the tale.

"So Chris ... You seem to know quite a bit about cars," Embry started conversationally.

Chris grunted with a nod before shrugging. "Yeah ... Had to fix my bike up a few times. My foster mother's car was on it's last legs so it required a regular tune up. Did a few other jobs here and there," he mumbled, licking his lips.

My eyes zeroed in on that immediately and my pants tightened. Quil chuckled next to me, glancing at my shorts. I felt the blush spread through my face.

"Oh, that's cool ... What was her name?" Jared asked, unsure of whether he should be asking the question.

Chris sighed, uncomfortably.

"It's alright, Man, you don't need to answer tha–"

"Makenna. Her name was Makenna Marvin," he replied lowly, cutting off Jared's backtracking. He still didn't look at any of us, which I found sad and heartbreaking to be honest, and he seemed to find something very interesting in the palm of his calloused hand.

"That's a sweet tattoo you got there. When did you get it? I mean, how old were you?" Paul asked, interestedly as he surveyed it more closely.

Chris frowned, glancing at Paul's closeness as he leaned forward to get a better look at the black, curvaceous ink. I almost growled at him for being so close, and Embry gave me a weird look. I ignored him and waited for Chris' answer, intrigued with any part of his history.

"Sixteen. Just turned sixteen. So almost two years ago."

Paul's eyes shot up. "Really? I mean, I got mine around that time too, but mine's nothing compared to the size of yours. It must have wrecked to get it done and must have taken ages."

Chris shrugged, nonchalantly. "The pain was bearable and nothing I didn't deserve. I had the time to kill so ... yeah, I got it done," he replied, sighing heavily.

My heart clenched at his words. '...nothing I didn't deserve...'? What the hell was that supposed to mean exactly? I could tell by the others' faces that they were thinking the same thing, but thankfully, not even Paul decided to ask about it. Though, I had a sneaky feeling it came down to his mother. Yeah, yeah that was probably it right there.

"Awesome ... so what made you get it?" he asked, curiously but tensed in reaction to Chris' stiffening body.

We instantly knew that he'd asked something in foreign territory, and it was illustrated a second later as Chris shot up from his seat, an array of emotions passing across his face, but only anger and pain from what I could see made a permanent residence in his tense facial muscles. I heard Paul curse under his breath as he realised his mistake. Ther fucker should feel sorry; he was entirely too curious for his own sake.

We all watched in confusion and shock as he stormed through the room, yanking the break door open and nearly barging past Jake, who was obviously on his way back from speaking with Bella. He frowned, watching Chris storm past him in confusion.

"Chris? What's up? You okay?" he called worriedly. None of us expected him to reply, but we were pleasantly surprised.

"I'm ... _fine, _Jacob. Not hungry. Working out here," he grunted back angrily.

I winced at his tone. Jake frowned deeper, watching Chris disappear under the hood of a Honda before looking into the break room, right at a guilty Paul. His frown turned to that of anger and irritation as he slammed the break room door shut. I sighed.

"What the hell's wrong with him? Paul, what did you do?" Jake asked, accusatory.

Paul sighed. "I was asking him a simple, harmless question, and he flipped off. I didn't mean anything by it," he explained, shrugging.

"A simple, harmless question? Does that look harmless to you?"

"Jake, man, Paul's telling you the truth. We were just getting to know him, asking him simple questions. No harm," Jared cut in, coming to his best friend's aid.

Jake sighed. "Does that guy out there resemble someone who is willing to share his life story? Does his face not give away any ideas? I thought it did, but maybe that's just me," Jake ranted.

"He shouldn't have flipped out. It was a simple question!" Paul shouted, his anger getting the best of him.

"What did you ask? What did you ask him about?" Jake asked calmly.

"He asked about his tattoo. He was answering all the questions, albeit reluctantly, up until he asked what made him _get_ the tattoo. Then, Chris just tensed and sprang out the room like a bat outta hell. I must admit though, that was a personal question," I added, glancing at Paul, who just flipped me off.

"He answered the one about his mom alright," Paul bit back defensively and somewhat petulantly as he leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Maybe because it was a straight answer and only a name, Paul. The other question opens up a whole new set of answers, which could range from a freaking drunken night, where he didn't even realise he'd gotten it until the next day, to something like a memory of someone dying. You don't think, Paul!" Jake shouted angrily.

Paul dipped his head. "I'm sorry. Jeez, I won't ask him anymore questions," Paul said, raising his hands in surrender.

Jake sighed, rubbing his face with one hand. "Alright, alright, what's done is done. Let's all go back to work and ray he doesn't become even _more_ secluded. The whole idea of bringing him into this garage was for him to try loosen up around the rowdiest crowd in La Push. What's the likelihood of that now?"

"I'm sorry, Jake. Yeah, let's go back to work. I'll apologise to him too." Paul mumbled, leading the way out towards the front shop.

My heart accelerated with the thought of another opportunity to eye fuck the fine specimen waiting out front and I grinned to myself. Embry saw it and laughed, patting me on the back with this weird look he'd given me earlier before he stomped out the break room. I shrugged, following after him.

I hope Chris didn't put his shirt back on at all...

**=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=**

**Chris' Point of View**

How dare he!

Who the fuck gave him the right to pry into my life, _my fucking life_?!

He had no right and should have kept his damn mouth shut. It took everything in me not to punch him the face when he asked what he did. He should mind his own fucking business! My life was for my knowledge only and I'll be damned if anyone here, in this small town where gossip was sure to spread like wild fire, were to find out.

Damn, I don't need people coming at me with a pitchforks, running me out of town for being a murder, do I?

No matter how much I thought I deserved it.

No, this is fresh start. A clean slate. No one could know of my horrid past and no one will. I've kept it under lock and key over this past year, and there's no way it was coming back out other than in my fucking dreams. I wanted to bury it forever but knew that no matter how hard I tried, it was going to be there in the back of my mind, haunting me, taunting me and giving me no other option but to endure.

Not long after I'd made my escape from the back room, I heard the rowdy noise that seemed to accompany the bunch of guys that worked here coming down the hallway. I sighed, making myself look extra busy so they wouldn't be tempted to come up to me and chat, like that other kid, Seth, did before break.

Yeah ... What the fuck was with that kid? He thought I didn't notice, but damn, he must have some sort of staring problem, either that or he's seriously retarded. I could practically feel his eyes on me all afternoon, and it seriously creeped me out.

None of the other guys seemed to be that retarded, thankfully. Though, I did catch Paul looking at me a couple of times with a weird, thoughtful look on his face. What with Jacob and his nauseating smile, Seth with his retarded ways and Paul's damn curiosity, I was beginning to think the move to this reservation might have been a horrendous idea.

I couldn't help but think that there was something about Seth though. I couldn't quite pinpoint it, and I'm not even sure I _wanted_ to pinpoint it, but it was there, in the back of my mind, taunting and playing with me. When he was speaking to me, a part of me _wanted_ him to and that thought alone had me withdrawing from him, answering his questions out of politeness as I wanted this place to be new, top have a different view of me.

As the feeling heightened the more he spoke, I was becoming frustrated and angry with myself. I knew it came out in my tone when I spoke to him. I didn't want to upset the kid, not really and I felt slightly guilty when I'd snapped and watched his shiver with fear or whatever it was. Still, after he'd gone, I'd pushed it to the back of my mind, delving back into my work.

I sighed, diving headfirst back into my work as I ignored the others around me, or tried to at least. I could still feel Seth's eyes on me as we worked for the next half an hour. I wanted to turn around and tell him to fuck off, but something in the back of my head was telling me to just leave it alone. I had a sneaky feeling it had something to do with the fact that the kid was Sue clearwater's son. I respected her somewhat, a first for me, and found myself unwilling to disrespect her in any way.

I wasn't used to people trying to get close to me. Everything about me – appearance, personality and my past – repelled people. No one ever wanted to get mixed up with someone as dark as well. They let me keep to myself, lock myself away inside my own head. From day one here in La Push, I had people prying into my personal life, my past. I didn't like it. It made me feel exposed, which was something I _loathed. _

The people around here, especially Sue Clearwater and the Council, looked passed my appearance and horrific demeanour, and I wasn't sure how I felt about that. I was a hoodlum on metal horseback, but they just refused to see me that way. I didn't have the heart to tell them they were all wasting their time on me, trying to figure me out.

I was a monster; a murderer. There wasn't much else they needed to know other than that.

I was grateful for the forty-five minutes after the break room incident, no one other than Jacob spoke to me. He ordered me to take a drink from the water bottle he handed me, spouting some shit about dehydrating on the job. I hadn't had a drink since lunch time when I stormed out the cafeteria so I drained the whole thing, earning a smirk from my new boss as he walked away.

Despite the mishaps, I enjoyed myself more than I expected I would when I first took this job. I had always loved working with my hands so the job was pretty perfect for me, to be honest. I was grateful to Jacob for offering. I worked in silence with only my iPod as company, but that's how I liked to do it. Music centred me.

When Jacob called everyone to go home for the day, I was reluctant. I wouldn't know what to do with myself if I went home and almost asked if I could do a night shift or something. I knew there was no point though; Jacob would never go for it. Besides, why would he trust me to be here by myself all night? It just wasn't practical.

I was wiping my hands on a clean rag, having finished my last car for the night, when Paul approached me, his face blanked but his eyes shone with apology and that same curiosity he'd wielded earlier. I knew exactly why he was approaching me right now.

I sighed and cut off anything he was about to say. "Listen, don't worry about it. It's fine. You're a nosy fucker, yeah, but I overreacted. Forget about it," I told him gruffly, keeping my eyes on the rag in my hands.

Paul froze out the corner of my eye, a few feet away, but composed himself and walked a little closer, smiling sheepishly. "Yeah, about earlier–"

"I said leave it. No harm, no foul. Whatever. Drop it," I cut him off sternly.

We stared at each other for a minute. Something passed between us, some sort of understanding and respect. It felt weird. He sighed and nodded in relent before smiling slightly.

"Alright, Man. I'll see you tomorrow?" he asked, throwing his rag towards the workbench he worked at.

I glanced between it and him, unsure of how to answer. Before I could, Jacob's hand came clapping down on my shoulder, rather hard, but it hardly bothered me.

"Of course he will, Paul. Right, Chris?" he asked, grinning at me.

My stomach quivered with unease at the sight, but I managed to pull half my mouth into some sort of half smile and nod.

"Sure. Whatever," I mumbled.

Paul smiled, patting me on my other shoulder as he moved past be towards his truck. I was stood there, stunned by their friendly behaviour and still unsure of how to handle and weigh it all in my mind. Jacob brought me to the present.

"You did a great job today. I'm glad I hired you," he praised, making my heart ache with the feeling of doing something appreciated.

I half smiled again with a small nod. He chuckled, not bothered by my subdued behaviour as he squeezed my shoulder with affection, moving towards his car too. I watched after him, baffled by the lot of them. I just stood there as Quil and Embry waved goodbye before getting into their cars. I was just baffled. Utterly confused but bizarrely ... liking it.

I shook that feeling off, locking it away in the back of mind mind. I couldn't afford to make friendships. I was too dangerous. I sighed, coming back to the present again as I walked over to my bike. Pulling on my leather gloves and jacket, I reached for my helmet, only freezing as a dainty little hand came out and picked it up for me.

My eyes widened as my head shot up to see Sue Clearwater smiling widely at me from the other side of the bike. I was surprised to see her here, totally caught off guard by her presence. Blind siding me. What the hell did she want?

"You know ... you could kill yourself on this death trap," she commented, loudly and clearly as she smirked and played with my helmet.

I bit my lip, still stunned to see her. I remained quiet as she studied me with her ... motherly eyes and they made me shudder. In what, I don't know, I couldn't identify it.

She shocked me even further as she giggled, lifting the helmet over her head before slipping it over. I stared in shock, and she shook her head, feeling the heavy weight of it before smiling at me from inside. Yeah, it was way too big for her. She was entirely too small of a woman.

She did this weird pose and asked, "What do you think? Suit me?"

I raised my brow, barely smiling as I began to see the humour of the situation. "I, uh..."

She laughed again, lifting the helmet off as she did so before she shook out her hair. She giggled, placing the helmet back on the back of my bike before looking at me again brightly.

"You're coming to dinner," she told me with so much conviction, I almost felt like I _couldn't_ say no but of course, being the stupid ass I am, decided to try and argue with her.

I shook my head quickly. "No, Ma'am, I don't think so," I declined, as politely as I could.

She cocked an eyebrow in challenge. "You don't? Well, I do. So come on, hop on home and get yourself ready or whatever. I expect you at half past seven," she commanded and was off and away in her car down the road before I could even say anything.

I stood there in shock, wondering how I'd suddenly found myself having dinner at someone's house, someone I'd just met and someone I was now learning never to argue with or decline.

Then something occurred to me...

I had dinner at weird kid's house! Aw, shit...

**=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=::=**

**Thanks for reading, everyone! Drop me your thoughts if you like!**

**Love MrsWolfPack x**

**NOTE: Please bear in mind that there will be spoilers for not only Clouded Joy, but it's sequel, Clouded Destiny as well on my Photobucket. If you're reading for the first time, please be cautious of that fact whilst browsing. Thank you. **


	6. Clueless

**Hey, hey, my lovelies!**

**Thanks to those of you who have stuck with me so far and for every review, alert and favourite! I hope you enjoy this chapter! :D**

**Huge shout out to TeamCullen1600 and JonnyFleetxdxd! They're awesome! Please check out Jonny's newest story, 'Why Doesn't He Want Me?'. It's in its earlier stages but it's starting out amazingly :D**

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**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN TWILIGHT! UNFORTUNATELY... D:**

**Without further ado...Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 5**

**Clueless**

* * *

**Chris' Point of View**

I couldn't believe this. I could not believe this! How did I get myself into this? I'll be damned – that woman is lethal and I'd only known her two days! Two days were certainly enough to figure out that Sue Clearwater wasn't a woman to mess with, take for granted or argue back to. She got what she wanted and damn if I didn't think she'd come around here to drag me over to her place if I didn't show up tonight.

My sigh morphed into a groan as I glanced at the clock from my slumped over position on my couch to see that it was nearly seven. I had half an hour to get ready and be at Sue's for dinner or I would risk enduring her wrath. I personally didn't understand how someone so small could be so demanding and strong. I understood where Leah got her sassiness and whit from. Yanking on my hair a couple of times, I hoisted myself from the sofa, groaning again as I realised that I really was doing this.

I shook my head and headed towards my bedroom, breezing straight through to my bathroom to take a quick shower. I relaxed under the spray, letting the warm sooth me but it didn't last long. My mind kept going back to what I'm about to do and every time, I couldn't stop the groan from escaping me. Shaking it off, I hopped out the shower with a towel loosely hanging around my waist. Hell, I could walk around this place in the nude since I lived alone but I figured that I had neighbours and windows. I strolled over to my dresser, pulling out a grey, long sleeve t-shirt and some black jeans. I made quick work of slipping them on before shoving my feet into some black Nike's. I left my hair, since it was untameable and rounded it all off with my usual cuff around my wrist, along with my black rope bracelet.

I sighed, picking up the thick, silver link chain that had the only thing left of my mother dangling from it. I held it so the ring was at eye level and sighed. It was a simple ring, silver with a pink heart gem. It was nothing special to everyone but me. To me, it was the one thing that connected me with my mother, even though I didn't deserve it. Closing my eyes, I beat down the feelings that were rising up from within me and slipped the chain around my neck with my cross wing necklace.

I looked at myself in the mirror, stoically. I hated this man. This was the man who hated everything about his life, and hated everything in his past. He was only 17 but never did he feel so much older in his life. He felt like he was a million years old, with that much time of experience behind him. He didn't know how to act his age anymore.

Walking down the stairs, I glanced at the clock again. Only ten minutes to get there, so it was a good job that she lived only a few streets away. I shoved my hands into my fingerless leather gloves, the ones I used to riding before picking up my helmet and leather jacket. The night was chilled when I stepped out but I couldn't care less as I straddled my bike and gunned the engine. I stopped for a minutes, revelling in the sound and the strong vibrations beneath me before kicking the bike of it stand and peeling out my driveway.

I'd never been to her house but that didn't mean I didn't know what house it was. Everyone knew since both Sue and her husband were council members and Elders of the tribe. I'd only been here two days but I was quickly learning. I slowed down as I approached her house, resenting the fact that she was making me do thing along with the few cars I saw parked out front. This couldn't be what I thought it was, surely? But I had my answer as I straddled up to the curb, seeing some of the huge guys from last night and the garage standing out front with a beer. There was a few girls by their sides but I paid them absolutely no mind. I recognised Jacob, who had his arms around a petite, pale-faced brunette and Paul, who had his arm around the shoulders of a Quileute woman who looked scarily like Jacob.

They, along with the few others they were standing with, all looked up as I stopped and I could see Jacob's nauseating grin pointing my way. He whispered something to the brunette in his arms, the one I recognised coming to see Jacob earlier at the garage, before he let her go and made his way towards me. I sighed, hopping off the bike before pulling it up onto its stand. I slipped off my helmet, conscious of all the outside people watching with a mixture of expressions before hooking it over one of my handle bars.

By that point, Jacob had reached me and I held my breath at hearing his cheery voice. "Hey man! Sue just told us you were coming! Talk about last minute." he greeted, offering me his hand. I smiled slightly and took it.

"Yeah, you're not kidding with the last minute thing." I mumbled, glancing around. An upstairs window caught my eye and before I could make out the person in it, the curtains swooshed back down and flickered. I shrugged it off, looking back at Jacob.

"Yeah, Sue's like that. She doesn't take no for an answer."

I chuckled, dryly. "She didn't give me time to even say no. She was off like a light before I could answer." I told him and he laughed.

"Don't worry. We don't bite." he assured me, chuckling with a couple other guys as if they knew an inside joke. I glanced between them, shrugging.

"Yeah, whatever. Sue didn't tell me that it'd be so..."

"Full?" Jacob supplied, grinning. I sighed and nodded. He chuckled. "You're not much of a crowd person, huh?"

"No. Definitely not." I answered, shortly. He nodded and turned to watch the brunette walking over with a hesitant smile. She offered me her hand.

"Hey, I'm Bella." she greeted. I nodded and took her hand.

"Yeah, you came to the garage earlier, right?" I replied. She nodded.

"Yeah. Cool bike, by the way." she complimented and I shrugged.

"She's alright. Gets me where I need to go." I told her, nonchalantly. She nodded. Jacob scoffed.

"She's a beauty. I'd have her off you in a flash." he laughed.

"I'll know who to look for if she ever goes missing then." I said. It was the closest I'd come to making a joke in years and both of them laughed.

"Oh, trust me, if it's not Jake who takes her, it'll be one of the others." Bella told me, giggling. I nodded. "Come on, we better go inside and tell Sue you're here before she sends out a search party to drag you here." Jake suggested and I nodded, following him towards the house. Paul caught my eye and nodded in greeted and I returned the favour. I had to admit, there was something about Paul that I could connect with, some sort of anger he could understand. It was the closest to friend I'd had in years as well.

I hesitated at the front door as Both Bella and Jacob headed straight in. I took a deep breath and stepped forward.

_This was going to be a long dinner_. I thought to myself.

**Seth's Point of View**

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE'S COMING FOR DINNER?" I shouted at my mother in utter horror, idling in the middle of the stairs, where I was when she dropped this nuclear bombshell on me. All the guys were here and were laughing their heads off at my explosion, some even looking taken aback and confused. Mom laughed.

"What on earth do you think it means, Seth? Chris' coming for dinner. How many more ways can you decipher that?" she asked, chuckling in amusement. I just stared at her wide eyed.

"When?"

"Half past seven." she replied, shaking her head. I looked at the clock and gasped. I only had ten minutes to get ready! I looked down at myself, taking in the wife beater and grey sweats that I'd planned on wearing and groaning in horror. "Seth, what is your problem? You look like you've seen a ghost."

The guys laughed and I glared at them. "Seth here has a little crush on our new resident bike riding bad ass mechanic." Quil teased, hiving Embry. I blushed at his words as Mom cocked an eyebrow, an amused smirk appearing on her face.

"Does he now? Well that's interesting." she laughed. I groaned in embarrassment, glaring at Quil once more before jogging up the stairs, taking three at a time, leaving them peeling with laughter in my wake.

I couldn't believe she didn't tell me sooner! How could she do this to me? I wanted to look my best for his guy for some reason, even though he seemed like someone who wouldn't care. I just felt so connected and not to mention I wanted him to give me the second glance, like I'd done to him, many times over. I wanted him to look me over and think..._something_ good about me like I did for him.

I had no time for a shower, thanks to my cursed mother so I just sprayed a shit load of deodorant and hoped that he wouldn't be able to tell the difference. I rushed over to my dresser and stopped, staring down at my haphazard drawers in utter bewilderment and panic. What the hell was I going to wear?

My heart rate picked up as I shovelled through my clothes, rejecting shirt after shirt and my impatience grew as each one flew over my shoulder. I growled as I ran out of shirts and ran my hand through my hair in frustration. I heard a giggle from the doorway and saw Leah leant again the frame, arms crossed over her chest with an amused smirk on her face that almost matched Mom's. I rolled my eyes at her, not in the mood for her teasing before turning back to my drawers.

"Seth, brother, come out the way and take a deep breath. You're going to be fine. It's just dinner. It's not like it'll just be you two, you know?" she laughed, shoving me sideways out the way of my drawers before she calmly rifled through my second drawer of shirts. I scowled at her but let her look, knowing that she knew a lot about clothes and shit.

I watched in silence, albeit a panicked and flustered one, as she pulled out a brown short sleeved button-down shirt and threw it over her shoulder at me. I wasted no time to slip it on over my wife beater, buttoning it up as she turned around. She stopped and looked at my short before bursting out in laughter. I blushed and frowned, afraid that I looked hideous. She literally had tears streaking down her face and even though it was nice seeing her smile and laugh, it irritated me because it was pointed my way. I crossed my arms and huffed, annoyed. She eventually calmed down and shook her head.

"And what, pray tell, was that about?" I asked, sighing. She giggled once more before stepping towards me, pushing my arms apart to get to my shirt.

"You must really like this guy." she commented, tugging at the bottom of my shirt with another giggle. I frowned in confusion.

"What makes you say that?" I asked.

"Because he seems to have you so flustered that you buttoned your shirt two buttons out of synch." she told me, beginning to unbutton my shirt and I blushed scarlet as she did, making her laugh lightly again When she began to do it properly, she looked up at me and smiled, reassuringly. "Seth, calm down, okay? It's nothing special. He's coming for dinner and that's it. You'll be fine and I'm sure he's not going to care what you look like."

"Yeah but..."

"You want him to care, right?" she guessed and I blushed, shrugging. She sighed. "Listen, Seth, you see what he's like. You've seen what type of person he is and I can tell that he has a lot of issues he's trying to work through at the minute. You heard about what he thinks of himself regards...regards his mother and I doubt that's the only thing playing on his mind. I just...I want you to be careful, okay? I don't want you hurt."

"Wow, Lee-Lee, who knew you cared so much." I teased her, making her giggle and slap my newly, correctly buttoned chest. I chuckled and pulled her into a hug. "I know, okay? I realise what he's like and I'll tread carefully. I doubt he'll even be interested anyway but I'm gonna try because...I don't know...there's something about him. I really, really like him, you know?"  
"Okay, Seth. Like I said, just be careful." she repeated and I nodded.

We stood there for another minute or so, hugging each other when my ears perked up. A loud rumbling I now recognised as _his_ bike came peeling down the street and I tensed, realising that he was here and I was nowhere near ready. I gasped and pulled back from Leah, storming over to the window and cautiously pulling the curtain back. I gasped again at the sight of him. Even from here, I could see how his black jeans clung to him deliciously and how his grey shirt left nothing to the imagination regards his strikingly toned body. My mouth went dry like the only way it knew how when Chris was near and I swallowed reflexives to try and get some saliva running.

I was hypnotised as he straddled up to the curb, looking towards the house as he hesitated getting off his bike and pulling his helmet off. I sighed at the picture, feeling something stirring in the pit of my stomach but not quite being able to identify it. I watched as Jacob greeted him, shaking his hand.

I jumped and yelped as Leah pinched my sides, coming to stand by me to look out the window as well. I'd forgotten she was even here with me and I looked back towards the road, only to see him looking this way. I gasped and moved the curtain back in place, trying to stop it from moving so he wouldn't know I was spying on him. Leah stepped away from me and peeled with laughter again. I growled and huffed in annoyance.

"You know, for my twin, you're not very nice." I grumbled, making her laugh harder. I rolled my eyes and moved over towards my drawers, pulling out some comfortable jeans since I had obvious run out of time as he was already here. I changed into them, not bothered by Leah's presence because she was my twin and we were comfortable with each other that way. I turned back towards her, as she stopped laughing and she held her thumbs up at me.

"Seth, you look good, possibly too much for a causal family dinner but I understand how you feel. Come on, let's go greet your dream guy, huh?" she suggested, linking her arm with me and practically dragging me towards the door. I resisted slightly, not sure I was even ready for this on such short notice but she wasn't relenting, leading me towards the stairs just as Jacob, Bella and Chris walked in through the front door.

If it wasn't for Leah, I would have probably slipped and fallen face first down the stairs. My breath caught as he walked in and he looked even better than through a pane of glass. His jeans hugged him better than I'd thought, though not too tight and I really could see every muscle through his shirt. The few buttons on his shirt were undone, exposing a few tendrils of his tattoo beneath and I bit my lip. How could this fine, sexy man be so...like he was? I mean, he was seventeen as well. How come he doesn't act more like his age?

"Hey Chris!" Leah greeted enthusiastically as she let go of me and hopped down the last few steps to wrap him up in a hug. I must admit, I was slightly jealous of my twin sister at that moment...okay, so I was _very_ jealous of my twin sister in that moment but I tried not to let it show. I watched Chris as she did and he froze slightly as his face portrayed his immense shock. He didn't hug her back, as if he was unsure of how to but he smiled slightly as she pulled back. "You look nice. So glad you could make it."  
"Uh...Yeah, thanks. I didn't have a choice really." he mumbled, shrugging. Mom laughed as she came out from the kitchen, obviously hearing him.

"Oh, Christopher, of course you didn't." she agreed, laughing as she also pulled him into a hug. He froze again and my heart ached for him. Why does he do that? What made him this way? I was conscious of the guys watching me, though they looked kind of serious in doing so. Embry was whispering something to Sam, who had a thoughtful expression on his face but in the next second, he shrugged and shook his head, though he he didn't look sure about something.

Mom pulled back and smiled at Chris warmly. I saw him shudder slightly and swallow but she didn't seem to pay him mind, gesturing towards the room of people. "I assume you recognise everyone here and Leah tells me she met you at school today."

He nodded. "Uh, yeah...hey." he greeted, lowly. He looked so adorable, even with his sadness. He seemed to have this shy streak about him with a tiny bit of awkwardness. I noticed even after two days that he was sociable at all and I knew that this must be very, very awkward for him.

"Jacob tells me you did an excellent job on your first day at the garage." Billy told him, smiling. Chris shrugged and nodded, awkwardly. Jacob smiled.

"Well, he's modest. He did an amazing job and definitely my fastest worker." Jake said, clapping Chris on the shoulder.

"Thank you, Jacob." he replied, smiling slightly and I don't think I've seen him smile any bigger than that, which was sad really.

"Alright, well you make yourself at home, Chris, get to know some of the guys whilst I finish dinner." Mom suggested, tapping his chest fondly before heading back to the kitchen. Chris stood there, uncomfortably as we all looked at him, rocking back and forth on his feet with his hands shoved into his jeans pockets.

"My god, guys. People would think you've never seen a biker boy before." Leah sighed, rolling her eyes before linking her arm with Chris' and leading him towards the living room. I smirked a little at Leah's comment, knowing that all the guys were fascinated and awed by Chris' whole appearance and attitude. In a small reservation like this, and even in Forks, you don't see folks like him. He was an anomaly. The person here closest to his attitude was Paul but he was angry, not brooding and as far as I knew, he didn't own a motorcycle, especially one as awesome as Chris'.

"You play Xbox, Chris?" Quil asked, like the true little boy he was. I rolled my eyes but waited for Chris' answer, fascinated by it.

"Uh, no, not really. Doesn't really help my um...anger issues." he admitted with a shrug. I could see Paul nodding in agreement, though we all knew he played them. I lost track of how many controllers he's smashed in his bare hands or thrown against the wall. Paul and video games were a great amusement to us all. "Besides, they get pretty monotonous, don't they? You're either shooting people down, racing the same courses or committing crime throughout a city. Can't say it's very exciting."

"This guy knows sense! I told you guys!" Kim laughed, shaking her head. She shared the same views as Chris. He smiled slightly at her.

"Eh, don't know what he's missing." Quil mumbled, turning back to his Halo game he was playing with Collin.

"Will you let me ride your bike one time? I've always wanted to ride one but no one had one until you got here." Brady asked, hopefully. Chris stared at him blankly for a few seconds.

"Um...no. No one touches the bike. It's my bike. My most prized possession." he told him, flatly. Brady pouted and a few of us laughed.

"I still say you'll kill yourself one day on that death machine. I say you trade it in for some sort of safe car." Mom suggested in disapproval as she entered from the kitchen.

"But what fun is a car?"

"Driving is not supposed to be fun. It's supposed to be safe and get you from A to B."

"Technically, you don't drive a bike anyway. You ride it." he quipped, albeit low and broodingly. We all chuckled and watched as Sue cocked an eyebrow at him.

"Don't get smart with me, Boy." she threatened through a small smile. He cracked a slightly larger smile for Mom and I could see that he was starting to really warm up to her. I smiled brightly at the thought.

"Sorry, Ma'am." he mumbled.

"See, the boy knows whose in charge and how to behave correctly with good manners. You could learn quite a bit from him." she told the whole room, making Chris' cheeks flush the tiniest bit. "Anyway, I came in here to ask you of any allergies."

"Oh...uh, yeah. Mushrooms and cherries." he informed her and I stored that piece of information away for later. It was a useful piece of information to have. She smiled and nodded, returning to the kitchen to put the finishing touches on dinner. It smelt amazing.

"So what _do_ you do to pass the time?" Paul asked, curiously. Chris shrugged.

"Read. Tune up my bike. Jog in the woods. Stuff like that." he replied, nonchalantly. _I wouldn't mind jogging with you in the mornings if you ever wanted any company_. I thought, smirking mentally. "I watch TV occasionally."

"Cool."

"Dinners ready. Come and get it!" Mom shouted from the dining room and the stampede began. All of my brothers rushed towards her, pushing and shoving to get there first. First come, first served after all. I chuckled and watched as Chris' eyes widened at the display. Being stood on the bottom step of the stairs, I had the slightest height advantage and I watched as he stood and hesitantly made his way towards the dining room as well, right past me.

I stepped down from the step as he was walking past, making him falter and stop. We were so close and we both knew it. I haven't been this close before, even in the garage. I held my breath as his face lifted slowly, bringing his eyes to meet mine and I smiled brightly. A surge passed through me but I was too captivated by his strikingly blue eyes to pay attention to it. I gulped, biting my lip and I saw his eyes briefly glance towards them, making my insides quiver at his attention. He cleared his throat slightly and hesitantly returned a 16th of my smile. I didn't expect him to smile like I was but it made me feel better that I got one bright than even mom received a few minutes ago.

"Come on...Dinner's ready." I told him, as if he needed to be reminded. It sounded like feeding time at the zoo in the dining room. He nodded and allowed me to lead the way. Mom smiled as we entered and we took the two remaining chairs, which were conveniently racing each other across the table. I was seated between Leah and Dad whilst he was seated between Paul and Jacob. Paul, surprisingly, slowed down his eating to actually strike up a conversation.

My eyes drifted upward at him every few minutes throughout dinner. I wanted to say that no one saw me but I'd be lying. Practically everyone knew I was eye-balling him but I couldn't bring myself to care. I was too caught up in him. The longer I looked at him, the more I noticed about him. Like the way the corner of his lips twitched when he found something someone said funny, reminding me that he never smiles properly. Or like the way he seemed to be warming up to Paul more and more throughout dinner, even going as far as to ask question in return. I committed the way his jaw moved whilst he ate to memory and how his body language changed with every emotion he experienced throughout dinner.

Dare I say it but I was more fascinated with him than ever before. I wanted to get to know this man, the true man. My heart ached to, my very soul. I wanted to take the sadness from his eyes and replace with with happiness and love., I wanted to show him that he was wanted. Hell, he would be able to see that if he looked around the table.

"Alright! Who wants cherry pie and ice cream?" Mom asked the entire table.

"Oh, Ma'am, I'm-"

"Allergic to cherries. Yes dear, I know. I made Apple pie too." she assured him and he nodded, biting his lip. He glanced up at me and I smiled, gently. He looked away, frowning in slight confusion and clearing his throat.

"So, how's it been so far?" I asked him across the table, snapping his attention back to me in an instant. Red coated his cheeks faintly and he cleared his throat again, almost nervously.

"Oh, erm...it's been, uh, good. Sue's an amazing cook." he mumbled, biting his lip repeatedly. My eyes were captivated by them and I forgot that he even spoke as he drew me in. I liked my own lips in response and he suddenly stopped, causing my eyes to snap to his. He was frowning deeply, looking more confused than ever and slightly worried. I swallowed thickly and smiled in what I hoped was reassurance and innocence. He just turned away as Mom came back in with dessert.

"So Chris, where did you live before La Push?" Billy called from across the table and I tensed, not knowing how he was going to answer. From experience, we guys knew that he could take questions entirely the wrong way. Chris finished the bite he was eating, looking uncomfortable with the table's entire attention on him before answering Billy.

"Maine, Sir."

Billy's eyes rose with surprise. "And you move across the entire country? That must have been quite a flight." he chuckled. Chris shrugged.

"I didn't fly over from Maine, Sir. I rode my bike." he corrected, stunning every single one of us. Mom looked super worried and concerned, her hand to her chest.

"You rode across the entire country on that death machine? What on earth were you thinking?" she asked, exasperated.

He shrugged. "It helped me think. Riding's the only thing I really have to calm me down, and running." he explained. I guess I could relate to that. Running can be very relaxing and definitely gives you time to think. I could see my brothers nodding slightly too.

"But still, that was very dangerous. What if you were in an accident in the middle of nowhere? No one would be there to take care of you." she told him. He stared blankly at her as if she was speaking a foreign language. A shadow cast across his face for a second and I saw Mom's eyes tear up slightly at the sight. Most of us were lost at their silent communication but eventually, Chris sighed sadly, pushing away from the table slowly and standing as he answered.

"With all due respect, Ma'am, the state I was in, after emancipating myself from that orphanage, I wouldn't _let_ them help me. If I'd crashed, I would have just said that...it was karma biting me in the backside. Punishment for my sins. I would have accepted that without question...because I deserve it." he mumbled, low and emotionless. His face was blank and it crushed my heart because I could see it. I could see that dormant pain shining in his eyes and I knew that he thought no one would notice, or even look that hard to notice but I did and I wanted nothing more, now more than ever, to bring life back into his eyes.

"Thank you for a delicious dinner...but I've out stayed my welcome and I think I should leave now." he said, frustration and anger tingeing his voice, though I had a feeling that it was more for himself than Mom or anyone else.

With that last statement, he strode from the dining room, leaving an eerie silence in his wake. I could tell that his words effected Mom hard because she had tears swimming in her eyes, as well as Leah and even Emily. Paul was watching after his new found 'friend' if that's what you could call it, with a solemn look in his eyes and understanding. I was sat frozen in my seat, paralysed by the intense sad and loneliness that was seeping its way through my very soul, though it felt foreign, like it wasn't my own. I swallowed against it but I did nothing to appease the horrific emotions.

"That guy is fucked up." Embry said lowly, shaking his head. I glanced at Mom, seeing that se had her hand over her mouth in shock and surprise.

"That poor boy." she breathed. "No one should have to go through anything that has had this much of an impact on his life. I can't even begin to think."

"Just like the next person, Chris has his issues and past. By the looks of it, he doesn't have anyone at all so it's our job to make sure that he feels welcome and knows that he's wanted here." Billy told us all, sternly. Everyone nodded, taking his words seriously.

"Seth, are you okay?" Jake called down the table with worry lacing his voice. I swallowed hard and tore my face away from the front door, where Chris had left only minute prior, to look at my alpha. I bit my lip as I stared at his concerned face and nodded slightly.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" I asked in a voice that didn't sound like my own. Jake's frown deepened and I could see the other guys and my sister in the same way.

"Dude, you look like someone just kicked your puppy and then went back to do it again." Paul commented, incredulously. "Not to mention the tears running down your face."

I frowned, bringing my hand to my face. Sure enough, it came away wet and unexpected anger shot through me, towards Paul who had pointed it out. I felt angry with the fact that Chris was overshadowed by such self-loathing that he felt that he was unwanted and unloved, out staying his welcome where he wasn't, where he was very much desire company. I hated the fact that I had just let him go, walk out and I didn't go after him. I hate the fact that he would have totally freaked out if I did because despite what I feel, I'm a stranger to him, an acquaintance at the most. And that shit hurt. It hurt so bad that I just needed to get out.

"Seth?" Jake asked in alarm as I sprang up from my seat in anger. I growled and shot towards the back door, stripping down and phasing before darting off through the dense woods. I needed to run. I had to relax. I couldn't fathom out what the hell has come over me but I felt so angry. At myself. At Jake. At Chris.

His name made my insides quiver. His face made my soul shimmer. His pain made my heart ache. His pain was my pain, deep within my chest. I could feel it and I knew that it was of foreign entity to my body. My whole body shook with it, making me Push my sandy legs faster and faster through the undergrowth. I felt the distinctive shimmer of my brothers phasing but I paid them no mind, too caught up with my own thought to pay any attention to them.

_Damn it, Seth, slow the fuck down!_ Leah shouted from behind me. She tried to sound angry but rally, she's on;y concerned. I didn't listen to her though and pushed myself harder. I didn't want to talk to anyone right now.

_Seth, come on man, stop and talk to us._ Quil pleaded. I ignored him.

_Seth, we have a feeling about what's going on. Please just stop in the clearing your in now so we can tell you about it._ Jake encouraged, gently.

It wasn't an alpha order but damn if he didn't pique my interest. I was so confused right now and the thought of an explanation had me slowing down in said clearing, waiting for my brothers and sister to join me. I was still too angry to phase back. It was irrational but us wolves were known for irrationality. I was breathing hard and my heart beat was off the charts. I just didn't know what the hell was wrong with me right now. I wanted to hurt someone, preferably all the people who were responsible for my Chris' pain.

_Your Chris?_ Embry asked with a chuckle and I growled at him, not knowing why he found it so amusing. At that moment, everyone breached the tree line and filtered into the clearing. Leah was by my side immediately, nudging his nose into the side of my muzzle, sisterly. I nudged her back in instinct and she whined.

_Easy, Seth. He didn't mean anything by it._ Jake assured me and I huffed, sitting back on my hind quarters as I waited for them to give me their explanation.

_Seth, do you have any idea what happened tonight?_ Sam asked me, slightly amused and excited. I shrugged.

_Yeah, my Chris got upset. AGAIN. And I didn't go after him when he left._ I growled, annoyed with myself. Jake and Sam chuckled, shaking their heads.

_And do you know why you feel that way?_ Jake asked, softly.

_How am I supposed to know?_

_Seth...you can't think of anything, any reason why you feel this way towards him?_ Paul asked, incredulously. I shrugged, growing more and more irritated by their questions and lack of answers.

_Well no, Paul, obviously not otherwise I wouldn't be in this situation._ I growled, impatiently.

_Seth, think about it. All you seem to think about it Chris. You've felt a connection to him since you first bumped into him and not to mention the attraction, which is very nauseating by the way._ Leah teased, nudging me with her flank. If I was human, I'd say I would be blushing right now. There's just no helping it though. He was so freaking hot.

_Yeah, okay, we get it. He's hot and everything but we're trying to explain something here, Seth. Focus._ Embry demanded, amused. I sighed.

_Seth, we think there's something else going on between you and Chris...something, uh...supernatural. Can you guess what it is?_ Jake asked, encouragingly. I frowned and shook my head he had me totally baffled. He sighed, caught between frustration and amusement.

_Jesus Christ, Seth, we think he's the One for you. We think you've found your imprint._ Leah clarified, making my heart stutter and stop for a beat.

Feelings flooded my heart, ones that overwhelmed my senses and my my very being soar and crash at the same time. I felt the devotion to him, my need to please him. I felt with every fibre of my being the love that could break the strongest of men. I needed to make him happy and make sure that he was safe. Most of all, I needed to take away his pain, hold him in comfort and make him forget about his terrible past. I wanted to know that past and share his pain if the first was unattainable. I wanted to shoulder the burden up his with him.

I just wanted to love him completely.

_Holy Shit, they're right!_

* * *

**Argh! He imprinted and didn't know it! :D Silly Seth!**

**So what did you guys think?**

**Please leave a review. I'd really appreciate it :D**

**Love,  
****MrsWolfPack  
****x**


	7. Paul

**Hey, hey, my lovelies!**

**This is a longer chapter for you here and Paul works his counselling magic with Chris, bless him. I'm feeling good about this duo so expect to see them becoming closer in the future. **

**Shout out to TeamCullen1600 and JonnyFleetxdxd! They're awesome! Go check them out! :D Jared, I hope this makes up for my horrendous crime :) You're featured quite a lot in this one :D**

**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN TWILIGHT! UNFORTUNATELY... D:**

**Without further ado...Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 6**

**Paul**

* * *

**Seth's Point of View**

I've never felt more like a failure than I have this past week. I mean, how I could not be the one to realise that I imprinted? Isn't it supposed to be like fireworks and gravity moving bliss or something? Yeah, I felt the pull when he looked at me straight in the eyes at dinner but never before that had it ever been what was described from all the other imprinted wolves.

It brought questions. A lot of them. I mean, what if I was defective and I have a fucked up imprint? Why wasn't it the same for me? Is there different types of imprinting? Did I get the worst kind? I wanted to protect him, love him and make him the happiest guy on earth. That wasn't different from the other imprints. In fact, a part from the initial imprint, nothing was different. So why did I occurred differently for me?

Paul had joked that I was just too stupid to notice it, to which Leah broke his nose. Jared said that I was caught up in lust for him that it was all I could think about and that when I did imprint, I probably thought something with the head between my legs and not on my shoulders. Jacob said that maybe it was because I was young or something but Damn, Paul imprinted when he was sixteen, four years ago and he'd known what happened. I was eighteen and I couldn't figure it out when it happened to me. I just didn't know what was wrong with me.

I watched Chris these past few days. I jogged with him from very far away in the mornings whilst in my wolf form, wishing that I could be right by his side and human. I wished that we could make small talk and laugh as we ran, getting sweaty together. Yeah, the head between my legs then went on with fantasies of us showering together afterwards but let's not go there. I watched as he continued to be the social recluse he was when he arrived.

In the classes that had one of us wolves in, we tried to get him to sit near us but he chose the empty tables at the back every time. Every lunch time he bought the same bottles of water he had on the first day before leaving the cafeteria without fail. I always wondered where he went but Leah always prevented me from following him, telling me that it would all work out.

Every day after school, he came to the garage and worked his ass off some more. He worked in silence, occasionally sharing a few words with Paul. Who knew I would wind up being jealous of Paul, my pack brother? But I was, very jealous indeed. He could walk up to him, my imprint and ask him how he was, or whatever they talked about. Without fail, Chris would reply and every time, I would watch his lips form the words, wishing that they were pressed against mine.

Again, every day when Jacob called from break, he'd continue to work, spouting off excuses of how he wasn't hungry or that he really wanted to get the car he was working on finished before he came back with us. He never did. It was just an excuse for to leave him alone. All the time, during breaks, we'd talk about him. Paul would tell us what they spoke about but it was nothing special, just small talk. I wished he'd open up, to be honest, even if it was to Paul and not me. And God, did I want it to be me. I wanted that desperately.

I thought about everything that he could have possibly gone through in his life and even what happened to his mother. I hated that he thought so low of himself, that he thought of himself as a murderer. Even Mom says it's preposterous. I wanted to change his opinion of himself, to make him see himself how I did. He was sad, lonely and hurt and yes, I could see tat every time I looked at him and he met my gaze but I could also see a kind soul behind all the pain. I could see a guy that wanted to be loved and be sociable but only thought that no one would want him to be or would want to try for him.

He was wrong, at least now he was. Everyone here wanted to get to know him. I could tell that everyone here felt some sort of connection with him but didn't know what to make of it. I also knew that Chris had no idea how each of us felt, how I felt. I wished that he did, then maybe it would be better, easier. Maybe.

I was patrolling on Friday night with Jared, just the two of us. He been silent most of the night, leaving me to my own thoughts like the brother he was. I'd always looked up to him. He helped me through my change and was the one who calmed me down that first time enough to phase back. He was the one I could go to if I needed to talk, besides Jacob and Leah of course. He always had good advice and I always ended up following it.

_Ah, stop it, Seth. You're embarrassing me._ Jared laughed through the mind link from the other side of the Res, near the cliffs as was his station. I would have blushed had I been human.

_Yeah, sorry, Jared. My bad._ I mumbled and we fell silent again. We ran a few laps before he decided to fill the void.

_So, how are you taking everything? Holding it together?_ He asked, softly. I sighed.

_I guess...I wish that he'd just..._I didn't know what I wanted from him. I just wanted...him. Jared nodded through, as if he knew what I was trying to say. He was good at that.

_You want him to open up, let you in. You want him to smile more and laugh. You want him to be happy._ Jared summarised and I nodded, knowing that he really did get what I was trying to say. I wanted all of that. So desperately. _The kid has been through a lot, Seth. It's not going to happen over night._

_I know and that's what's frustrating. I don't want him to have to get over his past. It should have never happened to him._ I growled, sadly. He sighed.

_But it has. He can't change his past anymore than you can, Seth. All you can do is try and help him through it._ He said, gently.

_How can I do that, Jared? We don't even speak. The dinner at Mom's was the last time. I don't even speak to him at work anymore._ I whined. _How can I possibly be there for him?_

_Seth, I know that he is how he is but he's still your imprint, whether he knows it or not. He'll still feel that pull towards you, just as you feel it towards him. He might fight it because that's what he's used to doing but if you tried to talk to him, I doubt that he'd pus you away or ignore you. He needs you. His soul knows it, as does yours. It's just his head that's messed up and won't let him see it. _Jared explained. I knew he made sense. Of course he did, he's was Jared.

_I guess._ I mumbled, dragging my feet. I'd stopped running a while back and was simply trodding along.

_Seth, listen to me, it'll be fine. This has always worked out for each of us. You know it has. Just have a little faith and you'll see._ He reassured me. I simply nodded. I felt his interest and curiosity pique and looked through his mind for the cause. I couldn't help gasp at what he was seeing before him.

He was looking at the cliffs and the sun set. My imprint sat there, watching the sun drop behind the horizon. He sat still, eyes far away as if locked in memories that I wasn't sure haunted him or made him happy. I couldn't read his expression, though his face was only halfway in Jared's sight. He looked lonely, as he always does and again, I thought I felt my heart break again. I whined.

_Easy, Seth. He's alright. He's just thinking. Don't worry._ Jared assured me. I could hear his heart beat through Jared's ears and see his regular breathing through his eyes. He seemed fine and like Jared said, just thinking. I could even smell his scent through Jared's nose and I revelled in it. It was so amazing. I wished t have a never ending supply of it and I knew that would only happen if Chris was constantly in my arms.

_God, he's so beautiful._ I sighed, longingly. Jared chuckled lightly, shrugging.

_I suppose so. I have my Kim though._ He agreed, amused. I ignored him, continuing to watch my imprint through his eyes. I couldn't take my eyes from him. I loved how his hair blew everywhere in the wind and how he licked his dry lips every few minutes. God, I wanted to be that tongue._ Yeah alright, I get it. PG though, please?_

_Oh, like you keep thoughts of Kim PG as well!_ I protested. He chuckled and shrugged.

_Suppose._

_Hey, is that...Paul? _I asked, sensing him through Jared's mind. He nodded.

_Yeah, he's here. Actually, he's been watching Chris for a while now._ He informed me, nonchalantly. He WHAT? He's been watching my imprint? What the hell for? _Whoa, easy, Seth. It's not like that. You know Paul's past. He just wants what you want – for him to open up. Paul understands Chris all too well, as you know. Besides, he has Rach. Don't sweat it. _

I knew he was right and eventually calmed down. I knew Paul's past and what had happened to make him so angry. It died down a little when Rach came home and he imprinted but before then he was an angry mess. I began to feel a little hope then and thought that maybe Paul could be the one to get Chris to open up. They had so much in common.

We waited and watched as Paul continued to peer on at Chris, a thoughtful expression on his face. he also seemed hesitant. I would be too if I was about to approach someone like Chris but I could see on his face that he wanted to. I don't know whether he knew that Jared was close by but didn't acknowledge it either way. He simply concentrated on Chris until I saw him give a little shrug of his shoulder and slowly approach the cliff edge and Chris.

I held my breath as he got closer and then bit my lip as Chris caught sight of him. Paul froze for a second, obviously not knowing how he would be received but all Chris did was give a nod of acknowledgement before peering back over at the sunset. Paul bit his lip, thoughtful for a second more before hesitantly approaching again. He didn't stop until he was towering over my imprint.

"Hey, mind if I sit here?" Paul asked, quietly. Chris just shrugged but Paul took it as consent.

For the longest time, long enough for Jared to become bored which wasn't an easy feat, they just sat there. They sat there long past the sunset but I never took my eyes off them. I had jogged up next to Jared an hour ago, when Paul first sat down and I'd been watching them ever since. I saw how Chris relaxed more and more with Paul's presence and how Paul seemed to be patient enough for Chris to make the first move for conversation, if he even did. Though, he looked content enough to just sit there with him.

They'd been so quiet for so long that all three of us was startled by Chris' low, deep voice.

"Thanks." he mumbled, never taking his eyes from ahead of him but I could see that gratitude in his profile. Paul shrugged, looking happy and relieved that he wasn't the first to break and had got him to talk, even if it was one word.

"No sweat. You looked like a lonely guy. Figured I'd give you some company." he replied, nonchalantly as he leaned back on his palms. Chris glanced at him.

"Why though? Why bother?" he sounded so sad and alone. My heart broke for him and I whined. Paul's head flinched minutely, not enough for Chris to notice but enough for us to know that he knew we were there. I guess he hadn't been aware up until now.

Again, Paul shrugged, portraying a guy without a care in the world, even though we knew he shared one aspect of Chris' troubles. "Despite what you think, Chris, you're not a bad guy." Paul whispered, knowing that he'd never get through to him when he said stuff like that but couldn't help himself saying it anyway because he knew that it was true.

Just as expected, Chris snorted and shook his head. My heart quivered. "You don't know me, Paul. You can't possibly make that assumption." he replied, sadly.

"It's not an assumption but...I can see that you don't want to talk about it right now so we'll drop it. All I know is, I can see the good in you and I want to try and help but you have to let me in. I know a little something about what you're going through and just know that I'm here if you want to get some of it off your chest." he offered, friendly as he peered at Chris' expression, carefully. He stiffened as the offer was made, glancing at Paul.

"Why would you do that? Why would you take the time?" he asked, confused.

"Like I said, you're a good guy and a guy that needs a chance to excel. I'm not much older than you but I was at a dark place once and I got out by meeting my imp- My wife." he explained. "I was so angry at everything and everyone all the time. I snapped at people who looked at me too long and smashed things up when the anger got the best of me. But she was there, she got me out and now I'm calmer than I've ever been throughout my life."

"What- I mean, why were you so...?" Chris spluttered, flushing slightly before looking embarrassed and ashamed by his curiosity. He turned away, cursing himself out under his breath. "It doesn't matter. It's none of my busine-"

"Why was I so angry?" Paul cut him off, asking the question he wanted the answer to. Chris' head snapped back to Paul, who looked mildly amused but careful as he met his gaze. Chris bit his lip, thoughtfully before nodding, slightly. Paul sighed and sat up, dusting off his hands. "Well, my Dad was...a fucking asshole, to put it a nice as possible."

Chris ducked his head. "Yeah, I know all about asshole fathers. None as worse as my old man." he mumbled in reply. I swallowed hard as Paul nodded.

"He used to beat me." Paul said after a few minutes, making Chris' eyes spark with interest as well as understanding. Oh, Baby, I'm so sorry... "Left bruises where they'd never be seen by teachers and friends. I had no other family so no one ever visited. Harry Clearwater did every other week, just to check in but...my Dad always made it look like we had the best father and son relationship whenever it was close to his time of visit. It was the same time so Dad was never caught out."  
"Why did you never say anything to Harry?" Chris asked, curiously. Paul chuckled.

"Yeah, harry said that as well. He was quite pissed at me for a long time, as well as at himself for not noticing it sooner." Paul replied, shrugging. "But no, I never told him because Dad threatened to kill me if I did. I'd grown up fearing him so I never crossed him if I could help it. There was no way in hell I was telling anyone."

"So it continued?"

"Yeah, right up until I could fight back. He in jail right now."

"Wow...he's asshole." Chris mumbled. Paul laughed, boomingly as he nodded.

"Hell yeah he was. I was glad to see the back of him." he admitted.

I knew he wanted to ask. I could read all across Chris' face. His curiosity was strong; I cold practically smell it. His eyes ran all over Paul, making some sort of assessment of the guy in front of him. I knew he wanted to ask, but would he...? I could tell by Paul's face that he knew he wanted to ask as well. Hell, he looked like he was expecting him to.

It appeared that Chris could see that too and he took a deep breath, swallowing hard before whispering, "Where was she...your Mom?"

I saw a small, wistful smile pull at Paul's lips. Chris didn't look at him and I'm sure that the topic of mothers was hard for him. I guess his curiosity got the better of him with Paul. And there was no doubt in my mind that Paul had expected him to ask the question.

"She died..."

Chris' head dropped low as his eyes closed. I saw such pain pass across his face that it was extremely hard staying where I was laying.

_Easy, Seth. Stay put._ Jared demanded, gently. I almost forgot he was there.

"Paul, I'm so so-"

"...during childbirth." Paul cut him off with a voice that made the owner sound hard and strong as steel. Chris' eyes snapped open wide as his head was forced towards the guy next to him. Paul met his gaze and smiled, slightly. Chris shook his head in disbelief before excruciating pain passed over his face. Oh fuck, Baby, I'm so fucking sorry...

He turned away from Paul, as if suddenly unable to look at him along second longer but all three of us could smell the salt in the air. And it wasn't from the ocean. I had a feeling that one of Chris' worst fears was people seeing him at his weakest and this was one of them times. I was almost tempted to look away to give him that privacy but at the same time, I couldn't look away from him even if I wanted to.

"I'm...I can't...I'm so sorry, Paul." he breathed, distraught. Paul took a deep breath and nodded, though Chris' face was still turned away from him. "I know...what it feels like...to feel like you killed her."

"I don't feel like I killed her." Paul said, strong and very matter-of-factly. Again, he surprised Chris as his head snapped towards him. I could see the tears in his eyes and I whined again. Jared nudged the side my my head in comfort and I just sighed.

_I know it's hard, Seth but just...stay strong. You know you want to know this and we all had a feeling it would be bad._ Jared told me, gently. I nodded.

I could see by Chris' face that he was shocked and curious. He remained silent and waited for him to go on but he didn't for a long time. They sat in silence before Paul sighed.

"She made a choice, Chris." he murmured, looking out over the dark ocean. Chris glanced at him but didn't reply. "Both of them did. They knew the dangers, the risks but they chose to have us anyway."

"But she shouldn't have...had me, that is. She shouldn't have had to...die for me." he replied, whispering. I could hear the tears in his voice. Paul nodded.

"Perhaps that's what you believe but...I don't think your mom would have agreed."

"You don't' know what my Mom would have wanted or believed!" Chris snapped, glaring at Paul. He held his hands up, nodding.

"Okay, perhaps not but...did you ever think that the only reason why she chose to have you was because she wanted you to have a shot at life? Did you ever think that she may have been so in love with you, the idea of you living, that it didn't matter to her if she died so that you could live?" He suggested, carefully and gently. Chris remained silent but I could see his fists clenching as well as his jaw. I don't know whether he was angry or that he was considering Paul's words.

"I heard a lot about my Mom through the years, who and how she was with everyone here." Paul went on. " I don't know whether you had that same pleasure but, I know that my Mom had a good life, a happy one. I think it was because she had that that she wanted me to have it too, even when she was presented with the risks during childbirth. Because she loved me and I know that. It makes it easier to accept, knowing that it was her choice and not my doing. I love my Mom, for who she was, what she did and why she did it and even though I didn't start off with the life she wanted for me, I'm getting there now which makes her sacrifice a lot less worthless in my book."

"How...How could be so...understanding of it though? Did it hurt? Even just a little? Did you feel like...it was all your fault?"

"Maybe, in the beginning, when I understood why she wasn't around and what she did. I wondered whether it was my fault and if it wasn't for Sue Clearwater, I think I would have grown up thinking it, perhaps even thinking that it was my fault even now." Paul answered, shrugging. I saw the curiosity spark in Chris' eyes again at the mention of my mother.

"Sue? What does she have to do with it?" he asked, confused. Paul smiled brightly.

"You could say that she's like my surrogate mother, especially since my Dad went to jail several years ago. He was the one who told me about Mom and made sure that I knew the truth about her. Dad tried to piss on her name and memory ever chance he got with me but I always used to remember Sue's words and with them, I could and will always remember who my other was and not the lies my father spouted.

"She's amazing, is Sue. She's always been there for me and if you gave her that same chance, she could help you through a lot of your...um...issues. She's a good ear and offers some amazing advice." he told him, smiling. Chris seemed to seriously think about it.

"Thanks. From what I've seen of her, she is quite amazing. You should have seen how she invited me to that dinner thing." Chris suddenly laughed, lost in memory and my interest was piqued. My heart swelled with the sound of his laughter and I realised in surprise that it was the first time I'd ever heard it. I forced myself to commit it to memory and never forget it until I could make him do it again. A lot more.

"Knowing Sue, I could only imagine what she did." Paul chuckled, grinning at Chris. He nodded.

"Well, se cornered me after work that first night right after you'd all gone home, or to Sue's I guess..." Both Jared and I listened as he retold the tale of my mother spouting shit about death machines and then toying around with his helmet. I chuckled along because it was totally like Mom. She was always trying to act 'young' and 'hip' to stay in tune with the young around here. She just comes off as funny and kind, an adult that isn't uptight and grumpy. Mom was anything but.

"Yep, that's Sue to the 't' that. She's a riot." Paul laughed, shaking his head. Chris nodded.

"She terrifies me though." Chris mumbled, honestly. Paul appraised him, thoughtfully.

"Why's that?" he asked.

Chris shrugged. "She represents everything that I've never had in life. A Mom, true kindness, hospitality, and dare I say, love. She's so...preppy and light. I'm not used to it." he admitted, shrugging. Paul nodded, still listening. He had gone further than any of us would have ever dream in regards of getting this guy to open up and despite how much I wished that it was me in Paul's place, I could deny my utmost gratitude and appreciation towards Paul for doing to tactfully and amazingly. "I mean, Jacob's even worse than her. On Sunday, when I arrived, I was very tempted to turn tail and ride the opposite way when I saw him coming towards me with that sickening grin on his face. Is he always like that?" Chris asked in disbelief. I smiled at the thought of my best friend/big brother/idol. Jake was awesome. Paul laughed and nodded.

"Oh yeah, that's definitely Jacob and yes, he's always like that. You're right. It can be very sickening but he's great."

"You have to say that, he's your brother-in-law, right?" Chris asked, unsure. Paul smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, he is." he chuckled. He looked thoughtful for a second. "You know, he also lost his Mom, but he was eight. Drunk driver. That's also why Billy is in the chair."

"Wow, really?" Chris asked, surprised. Paul nodded.

"Yep."

"How can he be like he is then?"

"Family and friends. They got him through it and besides, Jake's just...Jake. He's always been happy and smiley. It's just the way he is." Paul told him.

"I had Grandmother...but she died when I was eight. Since then, all I've had was a social worker and foster families that didn't care, apart from the Marvins, I suppose. All I know is the system." Chris mumbled. Paul nodded.

"But Chris, Man, you've got another chance here. A fresh start." he replied, gently. He looked at him, something sparking in his eyes as if Paul said something he could totally relate to. What, I don't know.

"A fresh start...it's funny because that's what I came here for." Chris chuckled, shaking his head. Paul smiled.

"Well then, start afresh. Make friends. Let us help you. We're a tight knit community, Chris...and once you're in, there's no getting out. Not if Sue has anything to say about it." Paul told him, grinning. Chris smiled and nodded but he still seemed cautious and weary. He still had a lot of issues to deal with but I had a feeling that Paul had just helped him slightly come to terms with one of his biggest – his mother. He's given him a lot to think about at least.

The silence between them was broken again but this time by Paul's empty stomach. I rolled my eyes at it, knowing full well how the noise was known to break the tensest of moments. Chris glanced at Paul, who looked dreadfully embarrassed. I could see the littlest smile tugging at Chris' lips and when they met gazes, both erupted into peels of laughter that sent my heart soaring with love and amazement. Twice, that's twice that Paul's been able to get my imprint to laugh. Granted, one was unintentional but nonetheless, he'd managed it. Part of me was jealous but I was just mostly happy to hear it again.

"You're sure packing an animal in there." Chris chuckled, making Paul tense slightly at his words but he didn't seem to notice. In the next second, Paul relaxed and laughed.

"You have no idea. He gets that way when he's not fed on time." he replied. Chris just chuckled, looking at Paul thoughtfully as he worried his lip. Paul could see he was thinking and waited for whatever he needed to say. Never mind Mom, Paul was quite the listener as well.

"You can come eat with me if you want? It doesn't matter if you don't feel like it. I don't care." Chris offered, climbing to his feet. I was struck dumb by his gracefulness, admiring the flex in his muscles with more than the head between my legs.

Paul looked surprised for a second, but pleasantly so. I was jealous that he'd been invited to spend more time with my imprint. I wished more than anything to be able to spend some time alone with him. Paul thought about it for a moment. I knew that I would have accepted in a heart beat. I'd never deny him anything. It seems that Paul took too long in answering though because the walls that Paul spent the better of three hours tearing down from around Chris' heart and soul slammed back up his heart and he looked disappointed and understanding. My heart broke for him.

"You know what, it's alright, Paul. Don't sweat it." he conceded, shrugging nonchalantly as he turned to walk straight towards us, obviously planning to jog back home. My heart sped up at the sight of his full face. Thankfully, Jared didn't feel the need to tease me mercilessly now that Chris was my imprint. The relationship was much more sacred and deserved more respect. He didn't comment on my reaction, even going as far as to be understanding. He had Kim after all.

"No, hey, wait!" Paul called hastily, making Chris freeze and hesitantly turn his head back to look at him. Paul smiled. "Would you...mind if Rachel joined us?"

"Rachel?" he asked, confused. Paul chuckled.

"Jacob's sister, my imp- My wife." he answered, blushing slightly at his near slip up. Chris didn't seem to notice that, understanding of who he was speaking of flashing through his face as he considered Paul's question.

"Uh...Yeah, sure, I guess." he agreed with a one shoulder shrug. Paul grinned, sheepishly. It was weird because Paul was acting so different to his usual self in Chris' presence. I appreciated it.

"It's just that she's home alone and probably hasn't eaten yet. She doesn't cook or anything. We usually got to Sam's or Jake's." he explained. Chris smiled slightly, shrugging before nodding in understanding. Paul nodded. "Alright then, so I'll go pick her up and come right over?"

"Sure, whatever suits you." Chris agreed before turning back around to start his jog. My heart swelled as I saw a slight smirk on his lips at being accepted. My gratitude towards Paul increased.

"Okay, man, see you in a few." Paul called as he began to jog in the opposite direction. When he was out of sight, he phased.

_Thank you, Paul._ I said immediately, hoping that he could feel my utmost gratitude. Paul smiled.

_You're welcome. Though, I shouldn't be surprised that you were eavesdropping. I expected more of you too, _Jared. Paul teased, giving us mock looks of reproach. Jared grinned and shrugged as I actually ducked my head, taking his reprimand seriously. He sighed. _Seth, Man, it's okay. I knew that you needed to hear it. I probably would have played it all back for you anyway. He's an awesome kid. It's hard to believe he's only seventeen and that I'm only 3 years older than him._ He replied, disbelieving. I nodded

_No one should have as much baggage as he does. It's really sad._ Jared added, sadly. I nodded again, wishing that I could take away Chris' pain, or share it with him and lessen the burden on his heart.

_Alright, am off to collect Rachel. Dinner at the Tyler house._ Paul said, grinning. I huffed.

_You know I'm incredibly jealous right now. I should hate you but I'm still happy that you didn't let him sit alone out there._ I told him. He chuckled.

_He looked like he needed a friend. A companion. I did what I had to to help a brother out_.

_Oh please, you like the kid as much as the rest of us._ Jared laughed, making Paul chuckle. I saw a flash in his mind and was surprised to see just how much his connection with him ran.

_He has the potential to be the little brother I never had, I guess._ Paul replied, trying to be nonchalant but I knew that he truly believed that and wanted it. Again, I was grateful that Chris could have someone so great to potentially look up to.

_Aw, Seth, stop, you'll make him blush._ Jared laughed at Paul's embarrassment to my thoughts.

_Sorry, Paul._ I mumbled, abashed. He shrugged, playing it off.

_No big. I guess I'll see you guys later._ He replied, phasing out as he reached their back yard. I sighed, knowing that he was abut to go spend some time with my imprint.

_Don't sweat it, Seth. Everything'll work out. Just be patient. It's only been 5 days after all._ Jared reminded me, gently. I sighed and nodded, knowing that he was right and that this would take time. Besides, I didn't even know if Chris would be into me. Was he even gay? Jared sighed. _Imprinting doesn't take anything like that into account, Seth. You know this. He's perfect for you and therefore, will feel the connection. Just give it time._

_Yeah. Thanks, Jared, for talking things out with me. You're awesome._ I thanked. He grinned.

_I know. I'll see you later, Seth. Sam and Collin should be coming on now._ He told me and I nodded before I felt him phase out. I sighed, revelling in my mind being my own for a minute or two.

I wondered what Paul, Rachel and Chris would eat tonight and even more, what they'd talk about. I knew that there was no way I was going to be able to not ask Paul to replay the whole evening to me later on.

I began to run home, the ache in my chest throbbing as I ran in the opposite direction to Chris. All I wanted was to be near him. Hopefully soon.

**Paul's Point of View**

Personally, I couldn't believe how lucky I'd gotten. I never thought that I would be the one to break through Chris' walls and barriers, no matter how much I thought I could and wanted but I did it and now he'd gone and _invited_ me, and Rachel, to eat at his house, on his own turf if you like. That screamed trust to me. I don't know about anyone else. I felt fuck awesome for being the one to accomplish it.

I knew Seth wanted to be the one but the kid was just...innocent. He didn't know the horrors of the world because he had everything anyone would ever need. Both parents who loved him as well as a sister. That's all anyone really needed – love. Chris has never had that, well, since he was eight and I just felt that Seth wouldn't be able to relate to that, despite his willingness to try and shoulder the pain with his imprint.

Huh, yeah, his _imprint_. I never thought that someone like Seth would imprint on someone like Chris but then, when you really think about it, it was a match made in heaven. Chris needed someone like Seth to show him the good side of life, the part that he's forgotten since he was eight. If anyone would be able to show him, it would be Seth. That's something that he _could_ do for Chris. But I was glad that I could do what I was doing, lending him an ear and advice like some guide or big brother or whatever.

The thought of having a little brother had always been appealing to me, even when I was little. Of course, that was never possible because my mother died having me and my father was too busy making my life hell to take on some poor, unsuspecting woman. In that respect, I was happy to take the abuse. No woman should come into that, under my father's lies and falsehoods to get them there in the first place. I was happy that I could protect the woman, whoever she would have been, from that fate. But now, with Chris here, I found that a possibility and the more and more I thought about it, the more I wanted to build my relationship with Chris. Who knows, perhaps he could potentially see me as a big brother? I didn't allow myself to get ahead of myself.

The living room and kitchen light was on when I approached the back of the house. I slowed and phased back, pulling on my shorts on my way up to the back door. I could see Rachel's silhouette in the window and grinned to myself. Making sure to be quiet, I opened the back door, smiling even wider when I saw her beautiful body showcased to me in some tight quarter length jeans and a thin but long white tank top that hugged her blooming body.

She was totally oblivious to me making coffee, though technically she was cheating. She wasn't allowed coffee but I'd let if pass by just this once. Sneaking up behind her, I buried my nose deep into her neck as my arms pulled her back to me. She squeaked as I inhaled deeply and then she was slapping my forearm in reprimand. I chuckled, knowing she wasn't mad but happy to see me.

"Hey, Baby." she sighed, leaning back into me and tilting her head to the side to give me more access to her neck. I grinned, taking it gladly and pressing soft little kisses against the smooth skin. She sighed and smiled. I pulled her tighter to me.

"Hey there, Tiger." I replied, smiling.

"You, Mister, are late home. Where the hell have you been?" she asked, turning up my arms and I pulled back slightly to accommodate her four month belly. I smiled down at it, grazing my hands across it before meeting her gaze. She smiled.

"Counselling." I replied after a minute and her eyebrows furrowed just as I expected them to. I held back my chuckle.

"Counselling?" she asked, slightly worried. I smiled and nodded.

"Haven't you heard? I'm a counsellor now." I chuckled. She just became more confused. I grinned, not helping my chuckle this time as I pulled away from her to grab a glass of water. She waited for an explanation, eyebrow cocked. "Chris Tyler. I found him on the cliffs alone and figured I'd give him company."

Her eyes widened comically but I knew why. She wasn't oblivious to Chris Tyler or his issues. She knew the same amount of what everyone else knew and was worried about him even though they'd never met. She knew that he was a screwed up kid and I knew that the surprise on her face was because she couldn't believe he'd opened up to anyone, not just me. I smiled at her, nodding. She inhaled deeply and sighed, still displaying her surprise. She looked around nervously.

"Wow...I mean, was it okay? Can you tell me or doesn't he want you to?" she asked, curious and worried but knowing there were boundaries with these things. Hell, she dated me didn't she? I smiled, reassuringly.

"It was...interesting and sad but then I didn't expect any less. It was quiet between us for a long time but eventually he opened up...He's more messed up than we originally thought." I explained, peering into my glass. She frowned and sighed, coming towards me and wrapping her arms around my waist. I placed one hand on her back, the other still holding my glass. She peered up at me, worriedly.

"Is he okay? Did it seem to help?" she asked.

I nodded. "Yeah, I told him about Mom." I replied. Her eyes widened.

"Are _you_ okay?" she asked, more worried than ever. I smiled.

"It was easy talking about it to him. He was surprised at how I felt and I think he's truly thinking about it. There's still so much he'd need to talk about though. His Mom isn't the only thing that haunts his life. That I can see in his eyes." I said, frowning. I could remember the look in his eyes since I first spoke to him that Monday. They were hollow and empty and yet so strong and willed. They held so much sadness and countless taunting memories. I knew then that I wanted to help him. I didn't truly get a chance until the cliff.

"I'm really glad that you were able to help him. Let's hope it did." she sighed, resting her forehead on my chest. I smiled and kissed the top of her head.

"Yeah, me to, Baby." I whispered, tiredly.

"Well, now you're home, perhaps I can make some supper, huh?" she offered, turning towards the fridge.

"Oh wait, I almost forgot...He invited me, us, over." I informed her, still slightly surprised by it. She turned and her brow raised. I smiled and nodded.

"He invited us over? To his house?" she asked, disbelieving. I chuckled, and nodded. "Wow...okay...why the hell didn't you tell me sooner. When's he expecting us?"

"Oh, I said we'd be right over." I shrugged. She rolled her eyes and rushed out the room.

"Then let's get a move on!" She shouted, excitedly. I grinned and shook my head, following her out the house and grabbing her jacket along the way. I knew that she'd forget. She climbed into my truck as did I. I threw her jacket into her lap with a disapproving look. She blushed and smiled, innocently. I rolled my eyes and started towards Chris' house on the other side of the Reservation. This was going to be interesting to say the least.

**Chris' Point of View**

Yeah, this wasn't my best idea. Inviting him over had been a spur of the moment thing but now, I wasn't so sure. I hadn't had company in...well, ever and I didn't know how these things went. I was surprised to find myself nervous and actually wanting to make an impression on these guys, especially Paul. Out of all the people here, he seemed too good to be true. To find someone who had a past similar to mine was both a burden and a God send. A burden because no one should have to go through that, and a God send because I knew I wasn't alone and like he'd already done, perhaps we could talk it out with each other and vent.

I never even wanted to talk about it until I met him. He was three years older than me but he understood, at east some of what I'd been through. It helped to talk about it, I'd found. Hopefully I hadn't scared him away with my bog mouth. That was one of my fears of talking about it at all – scaring people away. But he'd stayed, talked it out with me and even shared some of his own past with me. It gave me a lot to think about but I couldn't do it right now.

I had dinner guests.

I found myself cleaning when I got home from the cliffs, again under the pretence of making a good impression on Paul and his wife. I knew that he'd already been here and seen the place but somehow, this felt different. Having said that, there wasn't much to clean since I was a relatively tidy person so I ended up scouting around my kitchen, trying to think about what to cook. In the end, I figured I'd just ask them when they got here. I hoped that they wouldn't mind.

I grabbed a beer, planning to chill in the lounge until they got here. Flicking through the channels on my TV, I eventually settled on some football game, despite the fact that I had no interest in spots. Mostly it was for background noise to distract me from my growing nerves. I half watched it for about five minutes until I heard a car pull into the driveway. My heart sped and I was off the couch in a second, biting my lip. I glanced around the place once more before just staring at the door. It would be creepy to open it before they knocked, right?

Even though was expecting it, I jumped when a strong knock rapped against my front door and I took a deep breath, closing my eyes to collect myself before approaching the door. A second later, I pulled the door open to see Paul with his arm around a beautiful woman who looked uncannily like Jacob and Billy. Staring at the couple in front of me, I could see that they were perfect for each other. Well, then what did I know?

I smiled the best I could and it seemed to be friendly with the smile I got in return from his wife. I opened the door wider and swallowed hard. "Hey, come on in." I greeted, nervously. Paul seemed to notice and chuckled as he walked past me into the house. He clapped me on the shoulder, very amused.

"Chill out, Man. She won't bite. Not you, at least." he joked, winking at his wife, who blushed and laughed. It seemed to break the ice and I found myself smiling more easily. I shut the door, chuckling. I turned back to them, smiling. He pulled the woman into him, grinning madly with love and pride. "Chris, this is my Rachel. Rachel, this is Chris."

Rachel beamed, offering me her hand. I took it, gladly. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Chris. I was very surprised by your offer to come over, but pleasantly, of course." She greeted. I scratched the back of my neck, nervously.

"Er, yeah, it surprised me too, really. It's, the first time I'd ever invited anyone over." I admitted, sheepishly. She beamed wider.

"Then we're honoured, right Paul?" she asked. He nodded, chuckling. I looked them both over and knew I did right in not dressing up. I mean, it was just a casual dinner right? I'm glad I got it right.

However, I did freeze on a certain part of Rachel, where I could see a clear bulge at her stomach. I cocked an eyebrow in question, but held my tongue. Rachel laughed, poking Paul in the side.

"I suppose he didn't tell you. Yeah, I'm pregnant. I'm surprised he didn't actually. He's always telling someone he runs into." she laughed. Paul blushed and I smiled.

"Oh, well, congratulations, I guess." I said, still uneasy with pregnant women as it brought back memories and thoughts relating to my mother. She smiled, rubbing her stomach fondly.

"Thank you, Chris." She murmured, happily. I smiled and nodded

"Uh, make yourself at home. I dunno if you like football but I put a game on. I have no idea who it is though." I told Paul, sheepishly. He grinned, seeming excited.

"Sweet! I forgot that was on. Thanks." he said, hurrying into the living room faster than I expected. Rachel just rolled her eyes at him, smiling fondly.

"I guess he _does_ like football." I laughed, shaking my head. Rachel snorted.

"Of course he does, he's male." she laughed. I cocked an eyebrow, challengingly.

"I'm male. I don't like it." I defended, though not offended at all. Rachel stopped and stared for a minute, making me self-conscious for the first time in a long time, before she smiled.

"Oh, Sweetie, we'll get along _just_ fine!" she laughed, patting me on the arm. I smiled slowly, surprised by the term of endearment but glad that she thought so.

"Thanks." I replied nervously. She just nodded. "Uh, I haven't started anything to eat yet. I didn't know what you guys would want. Any ideas?"

She seemed surprised. "Oh, well, Paul will eat anything at all. Seriously, _anything_ and I'm not fussed either but let's go see what you got." she said, perkily and I nodded, following her into the kitchen.

There was something about Rachel Black that made me smile. She was sweet, which still made me sickly but she was also strong willed and witty. Even pregnant, she seemed to have a lot of energy and I knew, even though my image of mothers were somewhat warped, that she was going to be great at it. She reminded me of how I wanted my mother to be, how I'd imagined her to be.

I watched her mosey around my kitchen, looking into the fridge and the cupboards with slight nervousness and self-consciousness. She'd smile at me every so often, complimenting everything she'd come across. She seemed to think the double stove would be a godsend, though admitting not for her but for her friend, Emily. I could only smile and nod, watching her make herself at home in my kitchen.

She pulled out some chicken from put it in the microwave to defrost. She then went to the fridge, pulling out various peppers, onion and some other stuff. I began towards her as she pulled out a knife and gently took it off her. She cocked an eyebrow. I smiled.

"I'd hate it if you cut yourself." I told her, meaning it. She smiled, sweetly and nodded. Moving over to the microwave to get the chicken. "Uh, what are we making, by the way?"

She giggled. "Fajitas. You like?" she asked, lightly. I shrugged.

"Yeah, sure." I replied, concentrating on cutting the vegetables she'd pulled out.

I found the Rachel and I worked good in the kitchen, even if she couldn't cook. She'd pass me stuff or lean over my shoulder as I fried the chicken. We talked of nothing but I found that talk the best. It wasn't heavy or anything, which was good for me. Slightly reluctant, I asked her about the baby but since she was only four months, there wasn't much to find out. She seemed happy with her pregnancy and I wasn't about to take that away from her. Not all pregnancies end like my Mother's did.

Paul wandered in and out, attracted by the sweet aromas coming from the stove. He was quite handsy with Rachel when he was hugging her and stuff. It made me queasy but not as much as it would have done. I was slowly becoming more comfortable with this pair and I found that I liked it. It was almost easy with them here. I think I smiled and laughed more this evening than I had in the last year.

"Paul, Babe, dinner's almost ready." Rachel called as I placed a bunch of tortilla wraps in the microwave for a short while. Paul's thundering footsteps made me chuckle and the eager expression on his face made me out right laugh. He looked like an animal at a feeding zoo and not to mention how fast he came in. Rachel smiled at me, knowing what I was thinking but Paul was oblivious, already sat at the island counters on one of the stools. There was no point using the long dining table since there was only three of us. I don't even know why I had it. Though, the house was fully furnished when I got it as well as refurbished by Harrison's family members or whatever to make it sell faster.

We spent the whole time eating supper talking about Rachel's family and all their friends. Paul did the least talking but that was because of the rare moment he didn't have something in his mouth. Thankfully, Rachel and I were more civilised and ate slowly. She told me more about Jacob and Billy, which lead to her mother's death. Of course, Paul had told me the basics. I found out that she had a twin but she lived in Hawaii with her husband. I thought it was pretty lame that she ditched when she graduated because her mom died. I guess I felt the same with Rachel but at least she went to college and returned. Rebecca hadn't even visited apparently.

Jared was apparently Paul's best friend, which was only confirmed by Paul with a low grunt. He was a peace maker but could tell a good joke when he was in the mood. Quil and Embry were Jacob's best friends and Embry's wife, Jasmine was expecting her first baby with him. She was ready to burst but I already knew that since it was how I got my job. One the rare occasion Paul didn't have anything in his mouth, he explained that Sam was like their boss and was a hard ass. Of course, I knew that already. He seemed like one anyway with all the glares he'd given me the past week. I still couldn't fathom what his problem was, though he looked familiar to me.

I found out just how close this group seemed to be, having bonfires and cook outs at each others families. Best men were found within the circle at weddings as well as bridesmaids. Some of them were even distantly related. Hearing about them all, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of a loneliness. I didn't have that and still don't . Whereas these people like me and a few others, others of this tribe were very cold to me because I was an outsider. This group seemed welcoming though, as I found out at Sue's dinner. Maybe there was a place to belong. I don't know.

Do you know Seth, Sue's son?" Rachel asked lightly, though I could see her shooting me curious glances out the corner of her eyes. Paul seemed surprised by her question as well because he nearly choked on the fajitas he was eating. He coughed and spluttered, shooting Rachel subtly shocked glances as he took a sip of water. She remained calm though, ignoring her and I wondered what the interaction was about.

Of course though, as it had been happening often throughout the week, I felt my face heat up at the question and flashes of a kind, happy face shot through my mind like a slide show. Yes, I did know Seth Clearwater and he was an enigma. He was different from the rest of them and I couldn't figure out why. I'd taken to avoiding him throughout the week, not knowing what to make of him but I still saw him watching me, very intently whenever we were at work and school. I wanted to think that I hated his attention but...i liked it.

That alone was enough to make me keep my distance.

I cleared my throat, knowing that both of them were looking at me now. Rachel had a slight smirk on her face and Paul looked kind of smug, to be honest. I wiped my mouth with a napkin. "Uh, yeah, I know him. Why?" I asked, nervously. She shrugged.

"Just wondered really." she replied, simply. I saw Paul roll his eyes and return back to his food. "Did you know that he was gay?"

As if planned, both Paul and I spat water everywhere in shock and disbelief, making Rachel squeal and jump back from the table. Paul's eyes were like saucers and I had no idea what mine were like. My heart was hammering and I felt very confused. Why would she tell me that, like that? Surely that was personal to him. What if he didn't want me to know? Why did that thought hurt? What the fuck was going on with me?

"Rach, what the hell?" Paul spluttered, cleaning up the water with tons of napkins. Since the shock had worn off, Rachel looked amused and smug. She sat back down, shrugging.

"What? It was a simple question. It's not like Seth hides it." She defended, sweetly. Paul glared at her, almost warningly. She shrugged and ignored him, turning back to me. I was still frozen in shock, wondering where she was going with this.

"Oh...uh...well...no, I, uh, didn't know that. Why would I?" I asked, confused and flustered. She shrugged.

"Just wondered really." she replied. "Thought you'd want to know."

"Why's that?" I asked, warily. She just shrugged and remained quiet. Paul gave me an apologetic smile across the counter and I shrugged, eyeing Rachel, still wary.

We were silent for a few minutes, though it wasn't as uncomfortable as I was expecting it to be. It was almost easy. Of course, Rachel opened her mouth again. "He likes you, you know." She said, matter-of-factly and Paul groaned. I swallowed hard, looking at her in disbelief.

What had she said? I didn't quite hear it or my mind was having trouble accepting it, either way. She could have possibly said that Seth Clearwater liked me? No, impossible. Why did my heart speed up with that knowledge? Why did a part of me _like_ that knowledge? Her words confused me but they had nothing on my feelings. What was worse, I couldn't even fully detach myself from them like I would usually. There was an echo somewhere, like they weren't mine but that was just weird.

Then my mind went back to that first day at work, how Bella had come in to see Jacob and I'd gone into the back, albeit very reluctantly, to collect him. What I heard as I entered...it had made me blush and sick when I first heard it but now...I felt something flutter inside of me. What was it that he'd said, or almost anyway?

"_Oh but Sethy, we all know that you wish Chris to pound your little as-_"

I felt my mouth go dry and I shakily took a sip of water. It confused to high hell what those words enticed inside me. They freaked me out, they did then and they do now but for totally different reasons -

_I could totally imagine doing it!_

I swallowed hard, biting my lip as I pushed the thought away with difficulty. I hated my reaction to it, loathed it but I couldn't fight it. What the fuck was wrong with me? I didn't feel myself and I hated not feeling myself. I shifted uncomfortably and briefly wondered if I was losing my mind but Paul saved my from myself as he spoke.

"Rachel, that's enough." he said, firm but gently. She looked at him and they shared some funky silent communication thing. I watched on still confused and flustered, wishing that he'd just forget about it so that we could finish dinner. I just wanted to finish and for Rachel not to say anything else in regards to Seth. I'd heard enough of him tonight, though part of my mind contradicted that.

Finally, she ducked her head in submission before smiling at me, apologetically. "Sorry, Chris." she murmured. I nodded, licking my lips nervously. Paul sighed.

"Thanks for dinner, Chris, Rach. It was awesome." he thanked, wiping his mouth with a grin. I chuckled.

"Yeah, I figured with how fast you ate it." I replied. He chuckled.

"Hell yeah!"

"I don't mind if you don't but would you wanna stop and watch a movie?" I offered, nervously. She and Paul shared another look before shrugging.

"Yeah, sure but let me pick. If we let her pick, we'll be watching a chick-flick." he grumbled, smirking at his wife. She just stuck her tongue out at him through a smile. I smiled and nodded, getting up and placing my plate in the sink. I gently took hers and Paul's from Rachel, putting them with mine before gesturing towards the lounge.

Rachel got herself comfortable in the very corner of the 'L' couch, pulling a pillow into her lap to cuddle as Paul trekked over to my wall of DVDs. He whistled at the collection, grinning back at me. I shrugged and sat on the the opposite side to Rachel. She smiled at me. I didn't know what he picked as he slide the DVD into the player.

"Can I go get drinks?" he asked me.

"oh yeah, I'll go-"

"Nah, let me, you're already comfortable. Beer?" he asked, questioningly. I smiled and nodded.

"Get me coffee!" Rachel pleaded, making Paul chuckle.

"Not a chance, Baby. You know what the doctor said." he shouted back, making Rachel pout. I chuckled, looking at the TV to see the title screen for The Eagle. Good choice and I was pleasantly surprised to see that Rachel didn't mind either.

Paul returned with the beers for him and I and an orange juice for Rachel. He chuckled and kissed away her pout. I looked away to give them privacy and when I looked back, Paul smiled at me knowingly. I blushed and turned to the screen. I started the movie and we all snuggled down to watch. Throughout the movie, I heard several growls coming from Paul as Rachel openly admired Channing Tatum and I must admit, it was rather entertaining. He seemed very possessive of her, though not overly so.

When the movie ended, I got to my feet and stretched, yawning as I noticed the time for the first time since I came in from the cliffs. It was eleven and I was surprised that they'd stayed so long. I looked over at Paul to see him picking a sleeping Rachel into his arms. She looked exhausted and I smiled as she looked so peaceful. An idea struck me but I didn't know how Paul would take it. I knew that he lived on the other side of the Res and it didn't seem fair to Rachel. I cleared my throat, capturing Paul's attention from his wife. He cocked an eyebrow and I smiled.

"I, uh...I mean, if you wanted, you could put her upstairs in a guest room. I know you live on the other side of the Res and it doesn't seem fair to her to move her around so much. I don't know, it's up to you but the offers there." I spluttered near the end, seeing his face change slightly. We stood in silence for a while as he thought it over, peering between me and his wife. Eventually he grinned and nodded, moving to the stairs, silently.

I smiled to myself, happy that he took up the offer. At least he trusted me, to an extent. He didn't mind his pregnant wife staying here after all so I guessed it was a good thing. I took a deep breath, switching the movie off and replacing it on the shelf before taking out empty beer bottles and Rachel's glass back into the kitchen. I rinsed the glass out and recycled the bottles before grabbing another beer. I sat at the counter, sipping it as I waited for Paul to come back down. He did so five minutes later and approached the fridge, questioning me with his eyes. I smiled and nodded and he got a beer, sitting opposite me.

"She settled in?" I asked after a minute's silence. He looked at me and nodded.

"Yeah, thanks. I hate moving her when she's sleeping so thanks for putting us up for the night." he replied, sincerely. I shrugged.

"Don't worry about it. I have the space anyway. Too much, sometimes. It gets lonely here." I admitted, lowly. He looked at me for a while before nodding.

"Hey, Man, I'm sorry for what Rachel said earlier...about Seth and everything." he murmured, gently. I glanced at him, nervously. I swallowed hard.

"Doesn't matter...She can't have been right anyway." I mumbled, picking at the label of my bottle. He was silent for a while. When I peeked up at him, he was smirking to himself. I took a sip of beer.

"You sound disappointed with that thought." he mused, eyeing me thoughtfully. I blushed and shook my head. "You sure?"

"Yeah, why would I be disappointed?" I asked, defensively. He shrugged and we fell into more silence.

"You know, it's alright, don't you?" he said after a while, making me glance at him. He was looking straight at me with a soft expression on his face. I frowned at him in confusion.

"What is?" I asked, quietly before finishing off my beer. I got up from my stool, dumping the bottle before taking another out the fridge. My back was to him.

"Liking him. Him liking you." he said, softly. I tensed and he sighed. Who said I liked him? Who said I wanted him to? I didn't deserve him and thinking them words told that it was true. He really didn't deserve me, he deserved better me. I wanted better for him but then, why did that thought hurt?

I shook my head. "Nah, he's just a kid." I replied, lowly. He chuckled.

"A kid? I've noticed that you talk like you're much older. You know he's older than you right?" Paul laughed. I shrugged.

"Age doesn't mean anything. It's your experiences that change you and age you, not the amount of years you been alive." I replied, turning back to look at him. He turned grim but nodded. I sighed.

"I guess you're right. And if that's the case, we're both ancient by far." he chuckled, dryly. I nodded, retaking my seat.

"Yeah, I guess." I agreed.

"But Chris, even the ancient can find love. You know that, right?" he told me, gently. I stared at him.

"Love? Really? Me? Who'd love me, Paul? I have so much baggage. I wouldn't love me." I replied, sadly. He sighed and got to his feet, disposing of his empty bottle before coming up behind me. His hands came down on my shoulders and he squeezed lightly.

"I know of at least one person who'd love you wholly if given the chance. Don't put yourself down anymore, Man because you're not who you think you are. You're awesome and people around here think that too. Remember, Chris, it's supposed to be a fresh start for you here. Don't put things down before you tried them." he murmured softly before giving me one last squeeze and leaving me to my own thoughts, throwing a 'goodnight' over his shoulder. I mumbled, absently, staring down into my beer as everything he'd said spun through my head like a whirlwind, tearing everything up that was there beforehand.

I knew who he thought of. It was obvious but I wouldn't put Seth through what I know he'd go through with me. He deserved better than me and I deserved far worse than him. He deserved someone who could love him and make him smile every day, not love him with a shadow of uncertainty, sadness and despair and probably make him cry more often than smile. The thought of tears on his face...it broke my heart in more ways than one and I was left feeling utterly baffled.

I'd never felt like this for a guy before. I knew that I wasn't gay before I moved here but now, with these feelings towards the preppy kid known as Seth Clearwater, I wasn't so sure...

All I knew was that I'd have to avoid him more than ever now. I couldn't do this to him. I couldn't drag him into my never ending spiral of darkness and end up hurting him. It was for his protection form me and I will do it with whatever it took.

* * *

**I hope I did alright! **

**I hope Jared's a lot happier with this one, Jonny :D**

**Please leave me a review! I love feedback and it motivates me to update faster! :D**

**Thanks for reading!**

**Love,  
****MrsWolfPack  
****x**


	8. Something's not Quite Right

**Hey, hey, my Lovelies!**

**Something big happens in this story. Some of you may be able to guess the reasoning behind it but I hope most of you don't :D**

**A massive shout out to TeamCullen1600 and JonnyFleetxdxd! They're awesome! :D**

**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN TWILIGHT! UNFORTUNATELY...D:**

**Without further ado...Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 7**

**Something's not Quite Right**

* * *

**Chris' Point of View**

Paul had given me a lot to think about when he and a sleepy Rachel left that next morning. I hadn't gotten a wink of sleep all night because what he'd said plagued my mind, the absurdity of it. But then, was it really that absurd? I wanted to believe as he does that it was nobody's fault, especially not mine, that my mother died. I wanted to, but I couldn't. I'd grown up with that belief deep rooted into my head and it was going to be near impossible to think something different. Even some of my foster mothers made it there mission to remind me that her death was all my fault. Who was I to correct them? I thought that as well.

But now, Paul had come along, also losing his mother to the nature of mine and he was at peace with himself over it, believing that it was her choice and that she did it out of love. It baffled me but also...gave me some hope. I hoped that someday in the very far off future, I could also come to terms with her death, as Paul has done. It's not going to be easy, as I'm sure it wasn't for him but I think that if I stuck around and used Paul's guidance, perhaps I could achieve the absolution that my conscience desired or even, dare I say, the happiness that Paul claims my mother to want for me.

Another thought that had haunted my night time thoughts was...Seth. I confused me to no end how his mere name is capable of sending my head into a whirlwind and my heart racing as if for its life. It confused me, yes but...it also scared me. I didn't know this kid. Well, I guess he wasn't a kid to me, I was the kid to him since he's older than I but that doesn't make a difference, as I'd said to Paul last night. What Rachel had said had scared me beyond what I was capable of dealing with. I've been here not even a full week, I've barely gotten used to being here and yet she's coming out with stuff like that?

I wasn't interested...well, part of me was but again, that confused me. Why was I feeling everything that I was? Why did I excite at the thought of seeing him around work or school? Why was I disappointed that he hadn't tried to talk to me since that night at Sue's? I shouldn't have cared. And a month ago, I didn't. He's done something to me, something that they all, or at least Paul and Rachel, seem to know about. I just wanted to get to the bottom of it so that I could fix it, or reverse it or whatever. I didn't want to be feeling these things for him. I didn't want to be happy from merely thinking about him. It wasn't natural. It was weird and I wanted it to stop!

Sitting at the island counter to eat my lunch, I pushed all thoughts of him and my mother to the back of my mind, burying the emotions that they conjured with them deep into my black heart. I didn't want to think about any of them. It made me uncomfortable and all I wanted to do today, was relax after a hard week or school and work. I ate in silence, not that there was anyone to talk to, and then washed my dishes. I stood in the middle of the kitchen, stumped about what to do next but then noticed that the sun was out, which was apparently a rarity here in La Push.

Shrugging to myself, I hopped up the stairs, gliding into my room to change into some broad shorts and a black tank top. Slipping on my shoes and Ray Bans, I jogged back down the stairs, subconsciously playing with my mother's ring that lay against my chest. My wallet, iPod and keys were already in the bowl beside the front door so I detoured into the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of water and an apple before grabbing up my stuff from the bowl and exiting the house. I locked the door behind me, plugged in my iPod and began to jog down the road towards the beach.

People stared at me, as I expected, on my way to the beach. Anything, however big or small, that happens in a small place like this was bound to have loads of attention. My moving here wasn't an exception. I just wished that they'd stop already. It's been nearly a week. They need to get over it. I catch some of them giving me this sort of disgusted look, or some of shock and others of disbelief. The first expression was understandable but the other two wasn't. What was so special about me? Why did they seem so fucking shocked?

That was just another thing that I shoved and locked away in the back of my mind as I made it to the beach. It looked relatively busy, at least looking at the parking lot. There seemed to be a hell of a lot of trucks here too, varied in colour. One truck I did recognise was the shiny black one that belonged to Paul and my excitement grew slightly. I felt happy to be seeing Paul again, which was a foreign concept to me but I was trying not to think too much on it. Another car I recognised was Jacob's rabbit. I didn't know whether I wanted to see his sickening grin just yet. It was barely noon and much too soon in the day.

The beach was as busy as the parking lot suggested and I suddenly felt like I shouldn't be here. This was a beach for the locals, right? I'm not a local, not even a fraction of one. Maybe coming here wasn't such a good idea. But nonetheless, I sucked it up, descending the short stairs onto the beach and peering around. There was a lot of kids, both Native as well as locals from Forks. Families covered the beach as the eye could see, all soaking up the rare sun. I saw a few of the elderly Natives too but they weren't nearly as noisy as the kids.

My eyes lingered on a group of Native men sitting down the beach a little, far enough for me to be able to ignore them if they shouted me and be able to get away with 'not hearing them'. I didn't feel like being around them today. They were the worst people around here for their cheeriness.

Adamant on that, I turned and started towards the opposite end of the beach to them, my music still blaring in my ears and my hands shoved in the pockets of my broad shorts. Little kids said hello to me left, right and centre and I replied with the best smile I could offer. The adults watched me with a mixture of expression and it unnerved me. I was expecting one of them to jump in front of me and stab me in the gut or something. I helped a few of the kids by kicking their balls back to them that came my way but other than that, I didn't interact, keeping to myself until I came across the end of the beach.

I climbed the rocks that stretched out towards the ocean, sitting on one far enough out to be able to drown the noise from the beach out. I bet my knees, resting my forearms on them as I peered out into the ocean. It was a lot more different at this time in the day that at twilight. Then it's calm and subtle, now it's alive and bright. It was a startling contrast.

Even from where I was now, I could feel eyes on me. Some made me uncomfortable, itchy even but others, they made me tingle, not itch, but tingle. It was like a thousand ants were parading across my skin, or just underneath. It wasn't uncomfortable. It was almost...comforting. It was weird but a good weird. I wanted to revel in the feeling but it also made me curious as to who was looking at me, to make me feel this way. I didn't dare turn around and look though. That would warrant for too much eye contact with people across the beach. I hated eye contact.

"You're welcome to join us, you know?" a deep voice that I recognised instantly as Paul's called from behind me, just loud enough to be heard over the thrashing waves against the rocks I was sitting on. I startled, spinning around to see him standing on the beach below me, smiling warmly as he fiddled with the sunglasses in his hands. I swallowed hard, smiling slightly before shrugging and turning back to the ocean.

It was quiet for a while and I thought he'd left me a lone but was startled again when I felt a tap on my shoulder. He chuckled, shaking his head at my jumpy behaviour before flopping down on the hard rock beside me. He smiled brightly and I returned it, half wattage. It seemed that he wasn't going to let history repeat itself as he began to speak.

"Hey, whatcha doing up here?" he asked, cheerfully. I shrugged.

"thinking. Enjoying the sun. Stuff." I answered vaguely as I turned my iPod off. He chuckled.

"Sounds thrilling." he dead-panned, rolling his eyes. I shrugged again. "like I said, you're welcome to join us."

"Who is 'us'?" I asked, warily. He sighed.

"Does it matter?" he retorted, smirking. I shrugged. He sighed. "Rachel, Jacob and his girl, Bella, the guys from the shop and their girls."

"Nah, I think I'll pass, Paul but thanks." I mumbled, sipping on my bottle of water. He sighed, shaking his head but didn't say anything for a bit.

"How are you going to make a fresh start and some new friends when you seclude yourself like this?" he asked, quietly but he wasn't looking at me. He peered out into the ocean, thoughtful. I swallowed hard, thinking and not liking his question. How was I going to? How could I stop? I shrugged.

"Old habits die hard." I murmured, looking down at my hands. "I've been alone for a while. I don't know how to be anything else."  
"That's really sad." he sighed, shaking his head. I nodded. "But there's always a time to start. Just come over there with me, spend some time with my family."

"I'd rather not. I don't think I could handle Jake right now."

"Then don't talk to him."  
"But that's rude."

"He'd understand."

"But what if he doesn't?"

"It's Jacob, of course he will."

"I'd rather not."

"Why not?"  
"I've told you why."

"That's a shit excuse." he dead-panned, seeming slightly frustrated. I peered at him only to see him glaring at me. I shrunk back from him, not used to his hostility. "listen, Man, I know that you think you're alone right now, as you've always been but it doesn't half to be that way. Just come over with me, sit with Rachel for all I care. You don't even half to speak to any of them, just try because it's the first step. I want to help you, Chris because I see potential for your life but you have got to be the one to take that first step. Just come over."

Silence filled the air, neither of us speaking for a long time as I thought through his words. Why was it that he had the ability to change my mind, just as Sue did? Why was it that I found myself listening to him, more so than anybody I'd ever met?his words, of course, made sense. I should be the one to take that first step, to prove myself to the locals and to myself that I'm able to make a fresh start but what the fuck was holding me back? Oh right...I'm scared.

"What if they don't want me over there? I'm not exactly a cheerful person, Paul. I'll only bring the mood down and they'd resent me for that." I sighed, heavily. He shook his head.

"What have I said about bringing yourself down, Chris? Stop it. It's not helping you in the slightest and I see what you don't. Take my word for it, you won't bring the mood down. You think we don't have a moody person or two amongst our family? They don't care, we don't care and the others won't care that you're sitting with us. They'd be happy to have someone to talk to to. Just suck it up, Man and come with me."

He stood briskly and held a hand out to me. I looked at him and then it, apprehensively. He smiled and nodded, encouragingly. I sighed and hesitantly slapped my hand in his. He grinned and hoisted me up to my feet. I smiled at him in thanks watching as he walked past me and climbed down the rocks.

When he hit the sand below, he looked back up at me as if to say 'Well, what the fuck are you waiting for?' I sighed, climbing down as well and then we made our way down the beach, with me slightly behind him like a scared little boy meeting new people for the first time, even though I've met them before. Paul smiled back at me and several guys and girls turned to see us approach. They were all smiling, which made me more nervous. Rachel beamed at me, waving frantically for me to come sit next to her. I smiled slightly, grateful that I'd be able to sit next to some one who I didn't actually mind and made my way over behind Paul.

"Hey you! Fancy seeing you here!" She greeted, cheerfully. I chuckled quietly, shrugging after I sat in the sand next to her blanket. Paul slid in behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and his hands resting on her stomach.

"Hi, Rachel. How's it going?" I asked, softly. She giggled.

"Quite good actually. Thank you for letting me use your guest bedroom last night. I didn't even think I was that tired, to be honest." she chuckled, kissing my cheek. I froze, my entire body going ridged at the contact and I peered at her, shocked. "Sorry, I don't think-"  
"No, no it's alright." I told her, quickly. I smiled at her, softly. "I'm just not used to it. Just don't do it every five minutes otherwise it'll freak me out."

She nodded seriously. "Of course. But thank you for last night." She said, beaming. I shrugged and Paul winked at me.

"It's alright." I replied.

"Hey...Chris."

**Seth's Point of View**

I watched as Paul took off down the beach, his eyes solid on Chris' form sitting atop some high rocks that looked over the ocean. My heart was beating erratically with a mixture of emotions. Worry and concern being two of them, not knowing if he was alright or if he needed me. Jealousy and envy being two more, considering Paul seemed to be able to spend more time with my imprint than I ever have. I hated that it was him who could walk straight up to him and start a conversation. I hated that it wasn't me.

My eyes never left them as Paul reached the rocks, watching as he made my imprint jump and then begin to argue with him about something. Slight anger at Paul coursed through me and I almost growled. Most of the guys were playing some sort of football game so it was just me and the girls sat here right now. I really did growl as Paul stood, holding his hand out for my imprint to take. Of course, he took it and my wolf didn't like that one little bit. Rachel peered over at me as she heard before following my eye sight to her husband and my imprint. She sighed.

"He's just getting him to come over, Seth. It's alright." She assured me and I nodded, tightly. She sighed again, rubbing my bicep in comfort but it didn't make me feel any better. He was touching my imprint when I couldn't. My wolf was irate over that fact.

My heart skipped when I saw that Paul and Chris were heading this way. He'd actually been able to convince him to come over. My palms began to sweat with the thought of being able to talk to him without having him think I was being creepy or whatever. And oh my God, did I want to talk to him. I wanted to do a lot of things to him but talking was about the only thing I was going to get away with. If I did any of the other things I wanted to do then I think it was highly likely that I'd get punched.

My heart skipped as he and Paul took a seat next to and behind Rachel. He was on the other side of Rachel to me, so close and yet so far away. I wanted to get up and sit next to him on his other side but I knew that he'd find me even more creepy. I don't know whether he realised but his eyes flicked to me and a small smile lit his face. My stomach knotted at the sight, loving that I put it there. I listened as he and Rachel shared pleasantries and small talk but eventually, I couldn't stop myself.

"Hey...Chris." I greeted, shyly. Chris' gaze snapped to me and I smiled brightly. I've never been more nervous in my life but he seemed was become so as well. He smiled back slightly, nodding tightly.

"Hello...Seth." he whispered my name, as if it was hard to say but damn if hearing it come from his lips didn't send intense shivers straight down my spine and SJ to pop his head up and wave as if he'd been spoken to directly.

Out the corner of my eye, I saw both Paul and Rachel smirk but I tried to ignore them, especially when Chris' eyes began to trail down my face, lingering on my lips before dripping to my chest. Pride welled up inside me and I grinned. He saw and blushed, turning away quickly in embarrassment. He swallowed hard, shaking his head to himself slightly and I grinned wider.

"Glad you decided to join us." I told him, cheerfully. He smiled and nodded my heart stuttered and it was my turn to linger on his lips. They pulled up into his own smirk and my eyes snapped back to his. A mirthful glint ignited in them before I turned to Paul, who had began to talk to him about the movie they watched last night. Rachel peered at me, smirking and giggling. I blushed and shrugged. "What?"

"Nothing really." she said, innocently. I frowned, not believing her one bit. She giggled. Yeah, that was going to get irritating if she didn't say why she was doing it.

**Billy's Point of View**

The elders that travelled up to the Makah Reservation were on their way back and were predicted to arrive any moment now. The young men of the Makah tribe had surprised both their elders and us by phasing for the first time ever recorded in their history. No one of their tribe had ever phased for the entire time they've been in existence. They shared some of the legends with us, but unlike our tribe, they used them as bed time stories and folklore to scare the youngsters up there. Their elders, of course, knew that there was truth to them, since they knew about our wolf pack but never in a million years would they have expected their own tribesmen to phase.

Three so far had undergone the transformation, none of which had a descendant in common with any of our wolves. Well, one of the bis did. He was Embry Call's cousin, which suggested that Embry hadn't gain his wolf gene from Joshua as we had assumed. It suggested another source and we were all very eager to find out who or where that source was.

"They've just entered the Reservation. They're on their way here." Old Quil announced, walking in from the kitchen after coming off the phone. I nodded, turning back to the football game we'd put on to amuse ourselves whilst they arrived. "Do you think they found anything?"

"Who knows. The situation just seems peculiar, is all. Their tribe has never phased. What has caused it this time?" I asked, both curious and worried. Embry didn't know of the boys' phasing yet but I was sure that he'd be as worried as me about his cousin and his friends.

About ten minutes later, there was a knock at the front door and Old Quil rose to his feet to answer it. A minute later, Sue Clearwater, Joshua and Levi Uley and a couple others came waltzing through the door, looking not too concerned and very curious. Sue hugged me hello before taking her seat. The others filed in and took their seats as well. Nothing had been said until Joshua Uley spoke up.

"We didn't find anything." he announced, shrugging. My heart sank at the reveal and I sighed. "However, we met the three boys who were phasing. They were scared, as to be expected but they seemed to be accepting of their fate."  
"Did they say anything? About Sam and the others?" I asked, interested. He nodded.

"They wish to meet him and the others. It seems that Larry Call, Embry's younger cousin, is the alpha of the trio." he informed me. I cocked an eyebrow.

"Is it a coincidence that he's the alpha? Was it the decision of the group?" I asked.

"Well, it had to have been or something like that because Larry was the last of the three to phase, unlike how it was with Sam. When I asked the other two, Matt and Gareth, about it, they said it seemed natural for them to follow Larry and that's how he came to become alpha of the three." Elder Kia answered, sagely. I nodded, thoughtfully.

"The would suggest that Embry also has this...alpha gene in him. But that doesn't tell us where it came from. Are you sure there's no crossing between the descendants with Makah tribesmen in the histories and trees?" I asked Sue, worriedly. She shook her head.

"I examined them thoroughly and apart from Me and Harry, Joshua and Mary Call, there has been nowhere where a descendant has reproduced with a Makah tribesman." she replied, seeming as confused as I was. I sighed, trying to wrap my head around the whole thing but simply couldn't and I shook my head in annoyance.

"Well, we'll keep investigating. That's all we can do. But for now, you, Joshua and yourselves have just come back from a long journey. I believe the kids are at the beach for the day. I was planning on joining them." I told them all.

"I'll come with you." Sue announced, springing up from her seat, smiling. "I think I'll just go have a shower and then head out. You want me to come pick you up afterwards?"

"It's alright, Sue. I'll take him. I'll see what my boys are up to." Joshua replied, rising to his feet. I nodded in thanks.

Joshua Uley was an enigma. No one ever knew what was going on inside his head but when you got to know his personality, and was able to look past his trough exterior, he was a great guy. Yes, there was the few mistakes he'd done in his life; like walking out on Sam and his mother, Naomi when he found out she was pregnant and then fathering another child and leaving him and his mother too when she also found out she was pregnant. However, I couldn't wish that he hadn't done it because Embry was an amazing kid and was my boy's best friend along with Quil Ateara. He's loyal to him and was like another son, as was Quil.

He was afraid of commitment because his own parents had a shamble of a marriage, as well as his father's parents. His mother's father had died, which left his grandmother a bitter old woman. I suppose it all played on his head and consciousness. He needed to grow up a little.

When Sam was 12, Joshua finally grew a pair and came back to La Push to be in Sam's life. As to be expected, Sam wasn't very receptive of the idea but he never gave up. Sam warmed up to him and Josh was finally able to be the father that he suddenly wanted to be. Eventually, sparks flew between Josh and Naomi again and they ended up getting married again. That was just under ten years ago.

Of course, Embry and Mary moved to the Reservation when Embry was just a boy and it made it very difficult and awkward for all those involved but everything was sorted and evened out between both women, kids and Josh. They've both grown up with good relationships with Joshua, like it's supposed to be.

"Alright then, Old Man, let's go." I called, chuckling when I heard him grumbling to himself.

"I am not Old, Old Man. I'm three years younger than you." he spat, glaring at me, playfully. I laughed and shrugged.

"I'm approaching 50 years old. That means you are too." I teased. He slapped me upside the head and I just laughed, letting him wheel me out to the truck.

The drive didn't take very long at all, passing the time by talking about the game and whatnot. The beach was packed but I didn't think any different both local tribes-people and Forks folk always came down here to enjoy the rare sunshine. As long as the Forks folk didn't cause trouble, we didn't care. Joshua parked and in the next second, Quil and Jacob was jogging up from the beach, smiling as he did so. That boy was always smiling. It made me smile in return.

"Hey Dad, Josh. How did Makah go?" he asked cheerfully as he pulled my chair from the back of the truck. He handed it to Quil before coming to my side of the cab. I got over the embarrassment and pride of having my son carry me a long time ago and even made it easier for him by wrapping my arms around his neck.

Josh shrugged. "It went alright. We'll talk about it later at the pack meeting." he replied, following behind Jacob and me whilst having a shoving match with Quil. They were both laughing.

When he saw us coming, Embry jogged over and gave his father a hug. I never thought that I'd see the day that happened but I was pleasantly surprised when that day came. "Hey, Dad."

"Hey, Son. Where's your brother?" Joshua asked, glancing around the beach.

"He went back to his house to get me food with Em." Josh nodded.

We made our way over to the group, various people calling greetings from all over. I smiled and nodded, accepting the beer that Jacob handed me. I glanced around the group and doubled back when I saw Christopher Tyler sat beside Paul and Rachel, speaking like they were doing it their whole lives. Paul caught my gaze and smiled brightly. I winked at him, nodding in approval. We needed to make that boy welcome and Paul seemed like he was doing a bang up job.

In that moment, Chris turned his head to see what had captured Paul's attention when I saw every muscle in his body seize up and his eyes flash with anger so intense, I would have rivalled our wolves'. For a moment, I thought that it was aimed at me and I had to say I was slightly frightened. He looked like he was out to kill someone, annihilate them even. It was a scary sight.

Paul, seeing this anger as well as his body seizing up, began to ask him what was the matter, pushing Rachel behind him slightly as precaution. I looked around, wondering what on earth had caused such a reaction in him but saw nothing of consequence. Then I decided to follow his line of sight and came face to face with none other than Josh. I frowned deeply in confusion.

The entire group was silent, seeing and knowing something was about to happen. Josh looked freaked as well, peering left and right as if he was convinced it wasn't him who was the fixation of the boy in front of him. He looked utterly perplexed as did the rest of us.

"Chris? What's wrong?" Jake asked, worried and wary. He stepped in front of me, protectively. Chris didn't say anything but silently rose to his feet. His face became eerily calm, no anger in sight, not even in his eyes and this made the wolves even more alert.

Once on his feet, Chris turned to stare straight at Joshua, a thoughtful expression on his face. Josh looked at each of us, questioningly but we were no more in the know than he was. Paul, Jacob, Seth and even Rachel had started to try and get his attention but I was fixed on Josh. No one had said anything, other than the three mentioned and it was becoming a very serious atmosphere.

I felt Jacob tense as Chris began to come forwards, towards Josh. His footsteps were slow and calculated but his face was still that mask of calm that seemed very unnatural. Chris didn't stop until he was no more than three feet away from him, silent as ever and making even me anxious. I couldn't even imagine how Josh felt. Joshua, deciding he'd had enough, straightened his back, taking a deep breath before extending his hand out towards the boy.

"Um, Hello, I'm Joshua Uley." Josh greeted, unsure but strongly. Chris didn't say anything but his gaze dropped to look at the outstretched hand in front of him for at least a minute.

We all saw it flash deep within his eyes, but we didn't think to think much of it. His face and gaze raised to Joshua's and he didn't take his hand. His eyes narrowed dangerous and it flashed again. The anger. The unadulterated, raw, burning rage. Joshua saw it too and his own eyes widened with shock. It happened so fast that not even the wolves caught it but the next thing I'm seeing, Joshua was on his back and Chris was pelting his face with punch after ruthless punch.

Gasps penetrated the air but we were all frozen, shocked still at the scene in front of us. Chris was throwing punch after profanity at Joshua, who was doing his best to defend himself but never hitting back. Chris began to choke the man below him with one hand, punching his his other. A second more and chaos ensued.

Jacob, Embry and Jared sprung forward, pulling Chris off their elder and father but damn, he put up a fight. He was cursing, twisting, turning out of their hold. His face was bright red with anger and his mouth was foul. It held so much hate and disgust for the man coughing on the floor. Seth was shouting for the trio to let Chris go, being held back by Leah and Collin but as of this moment, Chris was highly dangerous and there was no way he was being freed from the hold.

I blinked and suddenly, Chris was back on Josh, continuing his vicious assault after punching both Jake and Embry in the mouth, knocking them to the ground. The other wolves began to dive in, managing to pull Josh out from under the boy whilst pinning him down to the ground. They were all shouting at him to calm down but the boy had lost all control and measure. He was raw and radiating with pure rage. I could almost feel it. What on earth?

Suddenly, Paul was in, his hand on the back of Chris' head but he wasn't putting any pressure on it. It was as if it was a calming gesture. He began whispering in his ear and eventually, the boy's struggling died down until he lay still beneath Brady, Jared and Quil. They didn't get up though; they were being careful.

Silence overtook us, the entire beach even and Sue began to clear the immediate area of all spectators. This was peculiar situation. No one knew what to say and I looked over at Joshua to see him wiping blood from his mouth and the eyebrow. It was obvious that his lip was busted and his mouth was bleeding heavily.

In fact, he looked a damn mess. The kid laid it on him thick and had done a lot of damage. But having said that, Joshua seemed calm, not even harbouring ill will towards the boy, which surprised me. In any normal circumstance, he'd have fought back and would be fighting people off to try get back into the fight. This wasn't the same Joshua and I wanted to know what his deal was.

"What's going on here?" Charlie Swan's voice boomed through the group. He was in Police Chief mode and knew that someone had called him, whether it was one of us or the spectators, I didn't know. He scowled down at the boy now stood calm and collected beside Paul, who had a large hand around his arm, just in case before turning to me in question. I sighed.

"Josh?" I called. He had the right to say this.

"He jumped me. Out of nowhere. But I'm fine. Let the kid go." he sighed, wiping away more blood. Embry growled.

"He just fucking beat the shit out of you and you want to let him go? Press charges!" he howled, outraged. Josh sighed.

"I need to take him in Josh, whether you care or not." Charlie told him, seriously. Josh simply nodded.

"What? No! Just let him explain or something! Don't, please, Charlie?" Seth crowed, pulling against Leah and Collin. He looked terrified for Chris and I knew that it was worry for his imprint. Charlie shook his head and marched over to the boy. Paul sighed and stepped away, us all watching as he turned Chris around and cuffed him.

Chris seemed like a different boy now. Hate and resentment rolled off him in waves but his face was as calm as ever, even more so than before he jumped Josh. He stood still as Charlie cuffed him, looking indifferent and cold as he was marched through us towards the parking lot. I saw him tense as he was passed by Josh and was startled when he spat at the ground near his feet. Embry was shaking to a point where he was going to have leave soon and the other wolves just seemed angry with the fact that one of their elders was just attack and disrespected. Seth looked terrified, horrified and defeated all at the same time, sagged against his sister with grief and worry.

Paul followed after Chris and Charlie, kissing my concerned daughter on his way. I could tell by his face that Paul seemed utterly perplexed by that whole scene. He was the closest one to him at the minute, though that still wasn't very close. But Paul seemed to be the best person to get it out of him, his reasoning behind the attack. Hell if I wanted to know. When the three was gone, I turned to Josh.

"Are you alright?" I asked, surprised and worried. He nodded, playing with a tooth. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm perfectly fine. Just surprised is all." he sighed. I nodded.

"Why did you say to let him go? He deserves to be arrested!" Embry asked, angrily. Josh rolled his eyes.

"He's just a kid." he grumbled.

"A kid who beat the shit out of you." Old Quil sneered. If it was one thing that he hated the most, it was disrespect.

"I hope you're pressing charges!" Sam snarled. He missed the whole thing apart from the arrest but Jacob has just spent the last five minutes explaining everything. Josh gave his oldest son a look.

"No, I'm not."

"Why the fuck not? He deserves it!" Embry crowed, outraged.

"That's my imprint you're all talking about or have you all forgotten?" Seth growled, angrily. Embry looked torn between anger and remorse.

"He attacked my father." he replied, bitingly.

"And I'm sure he has his reasons!" Seth snapped back, barring his teeth in defence of his mate.

"Well, I sure as hell want to know what they are." Quil said, awed by the whole scene. Most of them don't even know what t make of it all.

"Come on, let's go get you cleaned up, Josh." Sue demanded, pulling him over t the parking lot. He sighed but followed, ordering his sons not to worry about it on his way.

Sam turned to Levi, his grandfather. "Can't you make him see sense?" he pleaded, angrily. Levi sighed, shaking his head

"Do you think he's ever listened to me, Son?" he chuckled. Sam sighed, crossing his arms.

"Come on, let's get everything cleaned up and try to figure out what the hell just happened." Jake ordered, scrubbing his face as he moved over to Seth, whispering a few words to him that seemed to calm the boy.

Whatever it was, something's not quite right and it's going to be one hell of an explanation...

* * *

**And that explanation will come in the next chapter :) I hope it was alright. A lot happened in this that is fundamental to the story so take note :D**

**Please leave a review! It helps motivate me to update! Thanks! :D**

**love,  
****MrsWolfPack****  
**


	9. Reasons

**Hey, hey, my lovelies!**

**Wow, college is kicking my ass! I'm in my last year and it is extremely important so updates a far and few between but I'll get them out when I can and hopefully, they won't be crap :/**

**So, this chapter is the aftermath of the Josh beat down and A LOT comes out this chapter so it's very important. It's predominantly Paul's POV with a surprise POV at the end :D Enjoy!**

**Shout out to TeamCullen1600 and JonnyFleetxdxd! They're awesome :D**

**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN TWILIGHT! UNFORTUNATELY... D:**

**Without further ado...Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 8**

**Reasons**

* * *

**Paul's Point of View**

I nervously followed Charlie's police cruiser towards Forks, wracking every corner of my brain for some sort of explanation to shed some light on the fucked up situation I'd just been privy to have front row seats to, a situation involving my Elder and best friend's father and my newly acquired little brother. I don't know the kid very well just yet, though I plan to do that, but Chris didn't seem to be the sort of guy who became savage like that. That hate he displayed was so raw and unmanaged; it came straight from his heart. It was something I could relate to. His blowing up was a result of pent up anger, years of it and I wanted to know what the hell happened and why it was suddenly released on my Elder and best friend's father.

My hands tightened on the steering wheel at the thought of how the pack had handled him. They didn't have to be so rough and Jared could have easily broken his arm at one point. Sure, he had to be restrained but they could have had more respect and care with the guy. All I saw was red while I watched and it took everything in my not to deck Jared when I decided to intervene and calm Chris down. I was surprised at how easy it was, to be honest. I had said the first thing that had come to me and he deflated instantly.

"_Calm down, Little Brother. Think about your mom, she'd hate this violence. I don't understand any of this but just calm down and I'll stay by__ your side in the consequences..."_

My heart swelled at my own words and even more so when I envisioned his response. He melted under my calming hand atop his head, not pushing, simply soothing him into a sense of security until his anger was under control. I meant what I said though. He's my little brother and I'd stand by him in this, wherever it takes him. I was only 80% sure that Josh wouldn't press charges for some unknown reason. That 20% came from not knowing whether Embry and Sam would be able to change his mind. Both of them were livid but I couldn't help but be grateful towards my elder.

I also understood why Charlie had to take him to the station, despite Josh's gracious words to just let him go. Charlie was a police officer who ceased all disturbances and had to play it by the book, as his oath to the force stated. Chris was the disturbance and so, he needed to be detained, whether it is over night or on a more permanent basis. Charlie had no choice but to do it and I respected him for that.

My 'bond', as Jake and Billy like to refer to it, with Chris had formed in the time it took me to blink and was gaining strength with every hour that passes. He's become a little brother to me in such a short time and surprisingly, I was dealing okay with it, not that I didn't want him as a little brother. I'd always wanted one but it's just that, usually, I don't respond to change very well. Chris, however, seemed to be a welcomed addition to my everyday life, both to the man and wolf in me. He reminded me so much of myself that I couldn't help but feel drawn to him, to help and guide him along his path. It felt like my duty but I also wanted to.

That was why I found myself driving behind the Chief, to be there for my little brother and find out why he'd flipped out on Josh. Something was amiss here and I intended to find out what, if he'd talk to me.

As we passed into Forks, Charlie's cruiser began to slow down before turning into the station parking lot. The station resided on the boarders of Forks so that it was easier and faster for Charlie to get to La Push if it was necessary. La Push didn't have a police force and Charlie's was the closest one. He'd been down to arrest no end of teenagers for drinking illegally at the beach or catching some punk who thought he'd get away with stealing from the Ateara General Store but then, none of the punks knew that a werewolf worked behind the till.

I pulled in behind Charlie, my eyes fixed on the car in front of me, or more specifically, the head I could see in the back of the cruiser, as Charlie hopped out with a stern expression on his face. He nodded towards my car and I returned the favour and watched as he approached the back of the cruiser, pulling Chris out, who was still cuffed behind his back. His face was sombre, defeated almost as if he'd given one of his darkest secrets away and I didn't get the expression at all. He also seemed slightly remorseful, which was good.

I quickly climbed out my car and Chris, hearing my approach, turned with Charlie to face me, looking surprised as if he hadn't expected me to follow them. I smiled at him softly and the look of shame crossed his face. "Hey Chris." I greeted, giving him a stern look, one that I wasn't sure I was at liberty to give him but he received anyway. It seemed to have the desirable effect though because his head dropped lower, clearly seeing the disappointment on my face.

"Hey, Paul." he mumbled, anger and remorse saturating his voice. Charlie sighed and coaxed him to walk towards the station doors. I followed after them, being held back by another officer as Charlie led him towards the back, to the overnight cells. I sighed and took a seat, wondering if I'd be able to talk to him.

Charlie came back out and slapped me on the shoulder, softly. "He's just here overnight, Son. I'll let him loose in the morning but he needs to stay away from Joshua Uley from now on. No more fights with Quileute Elders." he demanded, sternly. I sighed and nodded. "Any idea what happened? Why he did it?"  
I shook my head. "No, he just flipped out when he set eyes on Josh. Well, no, it was when Josh introduced himself. Chris was calm up until that point, up until Josh confirmed who he was. It was like he was waiting for him to tell him his name before he acted, like he suspected who he was but didn't want to lash out if he was mistaken." I explained, thoughtfully. Looking back, that's exactly what had happened. Chris had an inkling of who Josh was, whoever he is to Chris, and need that last piece of confirmation to unleash a mirage of anger on him.

"I tried to get him to tell me what was wrong but he was mute, his entire attention fixed on Josh. I want to get to the bottom of it though, Chief. Can I speak with him? Please?" I asked hopefully, slightly begging. He hesitated, glancing at his deputy, who shrugged.

"I don't know, Paul." he mumbled, uncertainly. I sighed.

"Please, chief, I won't antagonise him or anything. I just want to talk to him. It's no secret how alone he is. He needs me." I told him, pleadingly. He stayed silent but eventually caved, nodding as he inclined his head back towards the cells. I smiled gratefully and let him lead the way through, my palms sweating for some weird reason as I nervously worried my lip. Both actions were highly unusual for me. In fact, they were damn right non-occurring. Paul Meraz never got nervous, not even on his first date with his imprint or when he asked her to marry him.

My heart clenched as I peered in through the steel bars of the cell Charlie stopped beside. Chris was sat with his knees propped up on the bed with his forearms resting languishingly over his knees as he leant against the wall, his head dropped back against the stone wall. He looked exhausted and defeated, like outside. He was saddened and morose. I sighed, shaking my head at the sight.

We all knew what the incident cost Joshua Uley. It cost him part of his pride and dignity, nearly a tooth, a busted lip and scratches and scrapes all across his face. I had no doubt that he also has some bruised ribs if I remembered the force of Chris' punches to his chest correctly. We knew what it cost him but what did it truly cost Chris to lash out like that? What were the ramifications towards him?

Charlie left for a minute as I continued to peer through the bars at this kid. He never looked over at me, not even acknowledging me at all. He was in a world of his own. I felt sorry for him, for the past I'd heard about so far and for his current predicament. Charlie returned a few seconds later with a chair from the front of the station. He placed it close to the bars and nodded, gesturing that he was going to give the two of us some privacy but left me with a stern, warning glance.

I nodded in thanks for the chair and understanding for the warning before taking a seat, resting my forehead against the cold steel. Neither of us spoke. I had no idea what I wanted to say, never mind what I should. I've never had to bail anyone out of jail before. To be honest, Rachel would know more about that, having had to bail me out numerous times. I thought back to those times, who she acted but really, she was just pissed, pissed that I'd up and managed to get in that situation again. The first couple of times, she said it was hilarious but then it became tedious and she was really angry when it happened.

I couldn't act angry here; I knew that it would get us nowhere and until I knew what caused it, I had no ground to be angry. He needed comfort right now, reassurances for whatever. This was all so confusing. I had no idea what I was getting myself into here but there was no way I was backing out.

"Chris..." I murmured, breaking the silence but he hardly even twitched. His cold eyes simply continued to peer at the ceiling tiles silently. I sighed. "Chris, Man, can you look at me?"

Nothing. I rolled my eyes and the tension between us began to grow. I hated awkward silences at the best of times but this was just torture. It was clear that he wasn't caving but damn if the stubborn part of me felt the same way. We simply sat there, silent and still whilst testing the other out. Eventually, it became too much and I broke it like I would usually have done.

"What were you thinking, man? What was that about? You shocked the hell out of me. Remind me to never piss you off." I chuckled, trying my hand at humour to break the tension but to no avail. I sighed heavily.

He remained motionless, staring up at the dingy ceiling with a blank, eerie expression on his face. He seemed deep in thought and I dread to think where they were taking him. He seemed to be the epitome of calm right at this second and I don't know which one I hated the most. The volatile, fist throwing Chris or this, calm and collected, emotionless Chris. Both of them were eerie and made me very alert for trouble but no matter how much they made me uncomfortable, I still trusted him so it was just a matter of looking past those feelings and getting him to trust me too.

"Chris, Man, I'm trying to help. I just…I want to know why you lashed out like that. I don't understand." I sighed, rubbing my hands together and watched as he scowled.

"I don't expect you to understand. I don't expect anyone to understand at all. None of you know me enough to understand." He mumbled, flatly. I hated his tone, which was none existent, but it made him seem so detached from the situation, from this world. It was almost like he didn't care at all but I knew better; I knew better from the look in his eyes when we were in the parking lot.

"Well, I'm here and trying to get to know you so that I can attempt to understand but once again, you're shutting me out." I replied as I tried to keep the irritation out my voice but it was proving difficult. I had to remind myself of his nature, his emotions and why he was feeling them. I had to remind myself that it wasn't his fault he was being so detached; he has been like this all his life. He couldn't help it. He sighed.

"I never asked you to come here. I never asked you to get to know me."

"No, you didn't but I did. I wanted to come down here to see that you're alright and to get to know you because for some reason, I feel…kinda protective over you? Look, I care, okay? I can obviously see that you've never had that before, someone to properly, um…care for you and I just, I want to do that…now." I stuttered, feeling the redness on my cheeks as I confessed to him. He glanced at me from the corner of his eyes but otherwise remained still and silent. I ran my hand down my face in resignation.

"Listen, Chris…I'm trying to help you here. I want to help you through whatever shit you're going through but if you can't trust me, then I can't do what I want. Just…trust me, please?" I asked, tiredly. He remained silent. I sighed. "Rach feels the same, you know? She told me just yesterday that you're already like another little brother to her. Jacob loves having you at the shop. I thought…I thought dinner went well. I thought that we made common ground or something. I just don't understand why you've pushed me back out aga-"

"Do you ever shut up? Damn, you're worse than my ex-social worker." He grumbled as he screwed his eyes shut, digging the heels of his hands into the closed lids in frustration. I went silent but a smile tugged at my lips.

"Got you to speak, didn't I?" I chuckled, grinning. He rolled his eyes and sighed.

"What are you doing here, Paul? Just, go home. Go home to Rachel. You're gonna be a dad and everything; you're not gonna want me around your little family, especially your kid." He mumbled, turning his head to peer out the little window in the corner. I stared at him, my heart clenching for him. I have never seen anyone who thought they were so…worthless and useless. Even Bella Swan wasn't as bad as this after the leech left her that last time after the new-born battle and Jake imprinted.

"Chris, that's not even an issue. I trust you around Rach whilst she's pregnant as does Rachel herself. Why would I think any different when the baby's born? You're being ridiculous." I replied, shaking my head in exasperation. He rolled his eyes.

"I know what I'm talking about, okay? You won't want me around." He repeated, adamantly.

"Oh yeah, enlighten me about what you're talking about because I have no idea." I huffed, thoroughly confused and irritated. He didn't reply. "Come on, tell me."

"I'm just…I'm no good. I'm a dark, twisted person and I don't want to be around kids. I don't want to…mess them up or shit. I don't want to hurt them." He admitted, lowly. I stared at him for a minute, unable to believe that he just spouted that shit before I abruptly burst out laughing, unable to help myself. In the back of my mind, I think it was a protective mechanism to stop myself from weeping at his words. His head snapped to me, a frown deep on his face but I couldn't stop. He was being fucking ridiculous. He truly is. He has no idea. "What the hell? You think my life is a joke? Fuck you, Paul."

I held my hands up in surrender, still chuckling to myself as I began to shake my head. He scowled at me, crossing his arms indignantly as he turned away from me. I cleared my throat of the remaining laughter.

"Chris, look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to laugh but…that was the biggest pile of bullshit I've ever heard." I said, smiling. He cursed under his breath but didn't look at me. "Really. I didn't know you before…everything or whatever but the guy I'm seeing right now isn't as bad as he thinks he is."

"Again, you don't know me that well to make that assumption."

"So let me know you." I snapped, sick and tired of him bringing that excuse up every time. "You keep spouting off that same damn excuse but you don't seem willing to make it right. Stop being a little brat, Chris because it's not attractive. People around you are trying to help but you push them away again and again. You break Rachel's heart, do you know that?

He remained silent but his face dropped and blanched as I said those words. Yeah, he may have a hard exterior but he fucking cares. I don't know what his problem is but it was about time he got the hell over it. "Yeah, she cares and so do you; I can see it on your face. She hates the sadness and loneliness she sees in your eyes every time she looks at you and quite frankly, so do I. But here you are again, so lonely but too scared to do anything to change that. What are you so afraid of, Chris, damn it?"

"I don't want you to fucking die, Paul!" he screamed, growling almost as he gritted his teeth and shook his head. I sat back in my chair, totally dumbfounded and speechless as his words registered in my head but I was unable to accept them. What the fuck did he just say? What makes him think that getting to know him would kill me? Shit, he more messed up than even I thought.

"Chris-"

"Because that's exactly what will happen if you and Rachel or anyone gets close to me. That's what always happens!" he shouted, launching himself from the hard bed to pace the room angrily whilst running his hands through his hair, roughly. I watched him from outside his cell, dumbfounded with the guy in front of me. I was speechless. I had no idea what to say at all. I mean, hell, what the fuck do you say to something like that?

"Mom, Grandma, Molly! The only people I truly cared about, left me, fucking died because of me and I have to live with that fucking guilt every fucking day! I refuse to add to that, Paul! I refuse to take you away from Rachel and your baby. I refuse to take Rachel away from the two of you or heaven forbid, the baby away from the two of you. I would never be able to live with myself. There were times where I couldn't at all." He ground, glaring right at me, viciously.

I swallowed hard, catching a glimpse of Charlie standing up the hall, out of sight but listening intently. I could see the dark shadow of grief on his face and I knew exactly how he was feeling.

"Chris, man, okay, just calm down for me, yeah? Just take a deep breath and sit down for a minute." I soothed, touching the bars as if reaching out to him. He turned away from me, facing the back wall as he clenched his fists at his sides and gulped massive breaths of air. He did as I said after a minute, retaking his seat on the bed with the look of remorse and shame on his face as he bowed his head between his bent knees. We sat in silence for a little while, allowing him to calm completely before I began to speak to him again.

My voice was low and soft when I spoke, my eyes frowning down at my hands. "Chris…We talked about this, man. Your Mom wasn't your fault. She made her decisions because she loved you and wanted you to live even if it cost her life. I-I don't know how else or what else to tell you to make you believe that. As for your Grandmother, I don't know what to tell you-"

"She just…didn't wake up. She was fine, fit and healthy but she just…didn't wake up. I was seven and she was all I had left. She left me to the dogs." He cut me off, bitterly. I bit my lip.

"She just slipped off in her sleep, Chris. There was nothing you could have done about that. H-How old was she, if you don't mind me asking?" I asked, tentatively. He inhaled deeply, letting it out in a massive gush.

"82." He whispered, mournfully. I raised my eyebrows.

"Wow, she had a long life…"

"Yep."

"I'm sure she never meant to leave you alone so young, Chris. You can't blame her. She must have been tired, perhaps wanting to see her husband again?" I guessed, unsure if she was even married or not. Chris shrugged.

"I dunno. She was married but I never met the guy. He died before I was even a passing thought." He mumbled. I nodded.

I became hesitant, wondering if I was about to tread into unchartered waters but my curiosity was alarming and I really, really wanted to know. I bit my lip, eyeing Chris' still form in the jail cell thoughtfully as I tried to word my question right, as to not upset him or make him slash out. He remained silent, surely waiting for my next line of questioning and possibly even knowing where I was going.

"Um…Chris…I, erm…W-Who is, uh, Molly?" I asked, hesitantly and I saw and felt him tense into a ridged statue. I swallowed hard, knowing that I had tread into territory that was best left alone but the question was out now and I couldn't take it back. I waited anxiously, wondering if he was going to explode again.

He didn't reply for some time, making my anxiety rise higher and higher in my chest until I was about ready to let him forget about it but he surprised me with a low, monotone voice that held no emotion whatsoever. "She was my girlfriend."

"Oh," was my articulate response. For some reason, I hadn't been expecting that even though he has said he had no other family but his mother and grandmother so her being his sister was out of the question. Maybe I thought was a friend but not a girlfriend. Seth might not like that actually, whether he has an ex or the fact that that ex was a girl, I'm not sure.

"Yeah…'oh'" he mocked, flatly. I cleared my throat of any and all surprise. I didn't say anything else, knowing this was a hard topic. He chuckled dryly. "What? No inquisition of how she died?"

I spluttered. "No, I mean, yeah, I did wonder but I know it's hard for you to talk abou-"

"She was killed in a car accident. Her and her mother." He cut me off, bluntly. I swallowed hard, feeling the sorrow and pain rolling off him in waves. "We'd been together for two years. I was 15 and she 14. It was our second anniversary and I wanted it to be special, you know? As anyone would, right?"

I nodded. He continued. "Well, she had been shopping with her mom the whole morning, for the evening and they were on their way back. We were texting the entire way. She was fine. A drunk driver t-boned her side of the car; he ran through a red light at 120 miles an hour. Their car flipped thirteen times before slamming into a loose guard rail on a bridge. Passing traffic below. The steel gave way under the force of the car being slammed into it and they fell off onto the highway below. 8 other cars were then piled up.

"Her mom died at the scene. Her head was smashed up; she was unrecognisable. M-My Molly appeared fine, apparently. She was crying and everything she could even walk slightly, making it easier for them to get her out the car. She could climb up on the stretcher and everything…She died in surgery three hours later. Her spleen had ruptured, along with her right lung. Too much internal bleeding."

By the end he was sobbing into his hands and I let out a strangled cry, gesturing for Charlie to open up the cell. I didn't give a fuck about regulations. My own tears streaked my face and I didn't care if I gave up my man card in that very moment. My little brother needed me and there was fucking now way in hell these steel bars were going to keep me from him.

Charlie, having been eaves dropping, approached immediately, even before my gesture was completed and he unlocked his cell with shaky hands. He wasn't crying but he was damn near close to it. I wrenched the steel door open, rushing in and not caring if he wanted me to or not, I wrapped my arms around him tightly, rocking back and forth as he wailed and thrashed against me in his anger and sorrow. I held onto him strongly, not letting him escape because whether he knew it or not, he needed this. He's needed this for the past god knows how many years and it was about time he got it.

He calmed physically after a minute and melted into me, his sobs getting louder. My own tears were relentless and I made no attempt to make them stop. My heart was breaking for this kid in my arms and this was the only thing I could think of to help. I felt useless and helpless and it was something I was never used to feeling. Being a wolf, I could always help but this…this was different. I couldn't even imagine what this guy had gone through. The only thing we had in common was our mother, who died during childbirth. I didn't even know how to contemplate on where to start, let alone get into action.

"Chris, man, you need to talk to me. This right here is years upon years of built up emotion and anger and you're letting it all out. Now you need to talk to me, work through everything with me, please? Let me in. Let me help. Please?" I pleaded, pulling him tighter to me. His sobs quietened but he remained silent. Tears still spilled from his eyes.

"I-I don't k-know where to s-start." He cried, lowly. I closed my eyes.

"From the beginning. From your mom."

He shook his head, vehemently. "I can't speak about her. I can't." he sniffed, quaking. I nodded.

"Okay, okay. You don't have to. Just…anything, talk to me about anything you want. Just talk to me." I urged. He needed this but not here. "Just, wait here for a second, Chris. I'll be right back. I promise."

"Don't go out of your way or anything." He grumbled, sitting up straight as he wiped his face. He seemed calm again, the eerie calm that I hated. I eyed him for a minute from the cell door before turning and practically running straight into Charlie. I cleared my throat, glancing back at him but he was in a world of his own. I looked back at Charlie.

"Charlie…you can't keep him here like that. Please, let me take him home. I'll stay with him either at my house or his. He needs out of this place and he finally trusts me enough to talk about his past, at least I think anyway. Please, just this once. Let him out of there." I pleaded, looking at him straight in the eyes.

Charlie hesitated; conflicted between doing it by the book and granting me my request because it was obvious that Chris was a mess right now and he hated seeing the kid in such a state, just as much as I did. I knew that this breakdown and lashing out was due to the altercation with Josh. I needed to get to the bottom of that. I gave him a pleading look and I could see the resignation in his eyes. He moved forwards, standing in the cell doorway.

"Chris, get up, you're going with Paul." He commanded, maintaining his Chief persona whilst granting me my request. I smiled widely, nodding at him in thanks as he passed me towards the front of the station.

I watched as Chris dragged himself up off the bed, his shoulders slumped deeply as was his head as he made his way out the cell. I was surprised when he stood close to me, as if he felt vulnerable and I smiled at him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders as I led him out the station towards my truck. He climbed in as silent as ever and I didn't even try picking up a conversation. His nerves were shot and he was only one second away from another break down. I had to tread carefully with this. I climbed into the driver's seat, smiling over at Chris as I pulled out of the lot.

The ride back to La Push was devastatingly silent apart from the light sniffles and throat clearing coming over from Chris, who had been peering out the window since we left the station. I didn't have to look at him to know he was crying. I could smell the salt in the air. It took everything in me not to wrap my arm around his shoulders again but I refrained, keeping my eyes on the road.

Numerous times, I saw flashes of sandy brown in the forest on the right of us, parallel to the truck. I sighed, knowing Seth was probably going out of his mind right now. Hell, I would be if this was Rachel. It hurt to even think about. I knew already that I was going to replay everything to him, even though it might be unfair for Chris. He needed to see it all though. There was no question about it. Seth couldn't go into this blindly. He needed to tread carefully and the only way for him to be able to do that was to be in the know.

"Um, where do you wanna go, Chris? I don't mind you coming over to our house. Rachel won't mind. I'm pretty sure she'll want to see you anyway but if you don't want to, I'll just take you home. I'll have to stay with you though. That was the stipulation to get you out of staying the night in that cell." I told him, giving him the choice but he simply shrugged his shoulders, effectively passing the choice back to me. I sighed, nodding to myself before turning off towards my street.

I wanted him closer to me tonight. My wolf and I were going haywire with protective vibes. Plus I didn't trust him on his own right now. Just call it a feeling but I just didn't. I didn't want him doing anything stupid.

Just as I pulled up into the driveway, Rach called me.

"Hello?"

"Where are you? Are you with Chris? Is he alright? What are you doing? Is Charlie being hard on him? Do I need to come down to the station?" she gushed, not giving me time to get an answer in edgeways. I sighed.

"Rachel, baby, look out the kitchen window." I prompted her, knowing that she'd see me climbing out the truck and moving around to meet Chris coming out the other side.

"Oh my God!" she screamed and I heard the echo with my wolf hearing, which amplified it and made me cringe.

Not a second later, she was rushing out the front door; worry clear as day on her face as she barrelled towards us. If I hadn't have known she was steady on her feet, I would have been worried she'd fall. Chris looked up at her approach and another wave of grief and remorse passed over his face as she slammed into him and wrapped her arms around his waist. He hesitantly wrapped his own arms around her shoulders the best he could with her bump.

"Hey, Rachel." He mumbled, almost silently. She pulled back.

"Don't you ever do that again! I was so worried, Boy!" she shouted, scowling but I knew she was just sick with worry rather than mad. He bowed his head and I had to step in. He's had it hard enough tonight already. I placed both my hands on her shoulders, pulling her gently into my chest.

"Baby, that's enough. Look at him. Let's just get him inside." I murmured in her ear, looking at Chris over her shoulder.

She took a minute to look him over, her brow puckered with worry and she nodded, giving me a pointedly worried look before grabbing his hand and leading him into the house. I followed after them, bypassing into the kitchen to get him to soda for some sort of sugar fix before I went to the living room. Chris had sat in the recliner, Rachel to his left and sitting on the very edge of the sofa cushion, his hand still in hers. She stared at him anxiously, biting her nails. He seemed oblivious, lost again in his own little world.

I took a seat on the chair next to him, sharing a glance with Rach before focusing my attention entirely on Chris. He sighed, swallowing hard. The tension between the three of us was thick and I cleared my throat to clear some of it, handing him the soda, which he took with a shaky hand. He mumbled thanks before gently taking his hand away from Rachel's. She let go reluctantly and we watched as he popped the can open and downed the drink in three gulps.

"Thanks." He repeated, crushing the can in one hand before throwing it towards the bin we had next to the desk for convenience. He landed it.

"Nice shot." I praised, smirking. He shrugged, smiling slightly.

"Honey, are you okay?" Rachel asked, tentatively. He smiled and nodded. "You worried me so much. I've never seen you like that. What happened?"

"I've tried to get him to tell me but…he remains silent. Remember what I said at the station, Chris. You need to talk, okay?" I reminded him, softly. He nodded, frowning.

"I don't know where to start." He murmured, quietly. I nodded.

"Remember; your mom. We said to start with your mom." I prompted him. He sighed, swallowing hard.

"She was never married. Apparently. She was a free spirit and did what she wanted and when she wanted. No one told her what to do and she was very independent." He began, wringing his hands. Rachel grabbed one and unable to stop myself, I grabbed the other. Chris glanced at the both of us but didn't retract his hands. "Grandma was always telling her buck her ideas up and start to think about the future but she never did. she liked to party way too much.

"That's where she met my…my father." He gritted out, teeth clenched. I nodded, understanding his anger towards the old man. I had that same anger. "I was conceived from a one night stand and my mother was told by my father, when she searched for and found him, to get me aborted. He sucked with commitment. She refused and he moved somewhere across the country just to avoid her. She was left with me and my sick grandmother to care for. Apparently, she never complained though. She was an amazing daughter…I just wished that I would get to know her amazing maternal side but…that never happened."

"She did what she thought was-"

"Right. Yeah, Paul, I get it but that doesn't mean I have to like it. She shouldn't have had to give up her life for me to live. I'm not w-"

"You don't want to finish that sentence! You are worth it and I won't tell you again. Just continue before I slap you upside the head." Rachel gritted, glaring at him. He sighed, shrugging. "And don't you shrug at me, either. The faster you believe me, the better we'll all be."

"Sorry, Rachel. "h sighed, sombrely. She bit her lip.

"No, I'm sorry. I just hate it when you talk like that." She replied, sadly. He nodded.

"Anyway…so we all know what happened with my mom and I was placed in my grandmother's care. I was with her until I turned seven, when she died in her sleep. I was then placed in a temporary foster home whilst they searched out my father. They did after 4 months but he turned them down…saying he didn't have a son." He trailed off, lowly.

My heart quivered and my free fist clenched at his words. I was sorry that another person, yet again, had practically stated that they didn't want him but also angry towards his father for being such an asshole. I wanted to hunt him down and deck him or something, just to give Chris some sort of justice. Fuck, he needed it.

"So what happened to you then?" Rachel asked, softly. He sighed.

"I was taken to an orphanage. I bounced around foster homes and there so my times I'd lost count." He mumbled.

"And…life at these foster homes. Were they…okay?" Rach asked, hesitantly. Chris' hands tightened around ours, showing his discomfort and anger at her question, though I think the anger was directed at something else.

"Um…no, they weren't. The first foster home I went to was…hard. The Leons were a mixed couple."

"The Leons? What do you mean by mixed?" I asked, curiously. He sighed.

"Carol Leon was a sweetheart. She took good care of me. Her husband didn't work. Jonathan." He said his name with such distaste that I knew this wasn't going anywhere good. I braced myself. "He took me in just so that he could make himself feel better about what he'd done."

"What he'd done? What does that mean?" Rach asked, confused.

"His mother died in childbirth and he was looking for someone to take everything out on. He found me. He said that it was a bonus that I suffered from the same guilt he did because then he could punish us both at the same time. He hit me, kicked me, and slammed me into walls. Everything. All when his wife wasn't at home. He hit me in places where I could hide the bruising. He was smart. He threatened that if I ever told anyone, especially his wife then he'd kill me.

"So it continued. That went on for three years but…" he cut off, frowning as he took his hands from ours and pulled his knees towards his chest, wrapping his arms around them so that he was in a protective ball.

I frowned at him, wondering and dreading what he was about to say but was obviously reluctant to share with us. I swallowed hard, placing a hand on his shoulder as I smelt salt in the air. Both he and Rachel were crying and I were close to it. My heart burned with pain, sorrow and anger for Chris as well as intense rage towards this Jonathan Leons. If I ever got my hands on him…

"it's okay, Sweetie. We're here. We won't judge. Talk to us. What happened?" Rachel asked, shifting to sit on the chair arm to his left. I frowned up at her, worriedly.

"It hurt so much." Chris cried out suddenly, making the both of us jump but I caught myself quickly, moving to sit on the other chair arm to wrap my own arm tightly around his shoulders.

"What, Honey, what hurt?"

"I-I wish he'd have just…continued to beat me. Anything was better than that." He continued to sob, burying his face in his knees. "I was seven years old. I was so small back then but it never stopped him. He said it make it feel batter for him."

"What? What felt better? Please, Sweetie, calm down, okay? Look at me." Rachel urged carefully kneeling down in front of him, pulling his knees away from his chest and his hands in hers as she looked into his face. "Take a deep breath for me. Look straight at me and just…just say it."

"He raped me." He croaked, hoarsely.

Then it was like the damn broke and Rachel cried out with pure grief, pulling Chris into her as they both sobbed on each other's shoulders. I stood motionless, unable to fully comprehend what has just shoved its way out of my little brother's mouth. I was unable to understand any of it. Or perhaps I was in denial? I swallowed hard; shaking my head to make sense of it all but there was like an invisible barrier, guarding me from the truth. Their wails and full body sobs were the only things saturating the room and the longer they went on, the more and more that wall began to crumble, allowing me to wrap my head around everything.

Pure, intense ire bubbled at the very soul of me and my hands began to shake fiercely. A deep, enraged growl escaped my mouth, startling Chris as he peered up at me wide eyed. Rachel eyed me knowingly whilst fat tears continued to streak down her face. Her grip on our brother was fierce and unbreakable. My teeth bared, visions and scenarios flashing through my mind as time went on and I closed my eyes, trying to get a hand on myself but it was no use. I was losing it and I needed to be as far away from this duo as I was able to get.

With another growl, I tore from the house, not bothering with my clothes as I exploded into my silver fur, a long, painful howl piercing the air. My knees buckled from under me from the intensity of it and my anger. My grief for Chris kept me there and I began to whimper, pawing at my head to erase the visions I'd conjured up. It was like pure torture. It had to stop.

_Paul? P__aul? What the hell man? What the hell is all that?_ Jacob screamed through the pack mind, making my ears ring viciously. I whimpered again, cutting off my thoughts from the others phased at this present time. Chris didn't need anyone knowing about that, not yet. I couldn't do that to him. _Why's he not in jail? I thought Charlie took him to the station?_

_H-He did. I-I said I'd take care of him. H-He's with Rachel at our house._ I replied, getting up on shaky legs and shaking my head. I swallowed hard.

_What's going on/ You've never lost it like that before? Everything okay? _Jared asked, concerned. I stayed silent, lost in my own private thoughts. I was always the best at covering my thoughts, only letting the others see what I wanted them to. Just like now. _Paul? You okay?_

_No. No, I'm not._ I mumbled, lying down on the ground as I could feel my legs become shaky again. _Chris…he's so messed up. I can't…It's too much._

_What happened, Paul? _

_I can't tell you. It's not…fair. I'll be alright. I swear._ I whispered.

Was I though? Was I going to be okay? I wasn't so sure right now. I didn't know whether I could forget what he'd just dropped on us. I don't think I'd ever be able to get those images out of my head. My throat closed up with grief for Chris and I found it hard to breathe but I did. Scanning through my head, I could see that Jacob and Jared were the only ones phased. Thank God. I don't think I could have handled it if Seth had been here. This was going to crush him. I didn't know what to do.

_How is he? Chris?_

_He's…sorry. I don't know whether he meant to do it in the first place or not but I can see in his eyes that he regrets attacking Josh and is remorseful now. He's gonna be sleeping at mine._ I told them, slowly making my way towards my house again.

_Okay, Bro. Oh, just to warn you, Billy wants to talk to Chris. He was going to go to the station tomorrow morning to talk to him before he was released but now he's at your house, I don't know what he's gonna do. So, just a heads up. _Jacob informed me. I nodded.

_Sam said that Josh wanted to see him again as well. I don't know why, he didn't say but I'd warn Chris or something. He might wanna return the favour, if you know what I mean? _Jared added, warningly. I nodded.

_How is Josh? _I asked, hesitantly.

_He's acting weird. Em said that he was just sitting in his recliner at home, lost in thought. No one knows what's going on with him, not even Dad but physically, he's pretty messed up. Sue patched him up and everything so he should heal nicely._ Jacob answered.

_Okay, well, I'm going to go back. Sorry for crashing and everything._ I replied, phasing out before either of them could reply. I took a deep breath before I realised I was naked. I sighed, glancing at the washing line and thankfully, a pair of my shorts hung there. I smiled and pulled them on, slowly approaching the back porch and bracing myself on what I was about to find.

**Joshua Uley's Point of View**

I couldn't comprehend it. Not even a little bit. I mean, what were the odds, really?

When I saw Chris earlier, on that beach with my boys' friends, The Pack, I couldn't help but be surprised. He looked so familiar to me somehow though I didn't know the boy at all. His face though, it brought something out in me, something I thought was long gone. Regret. I didn't know what for and that's part of what was confusing me. I had no idea why if felt this way towards that boy and it was also frustrating to no end.

When he looked at me, I was startled by the anger I saw there. No, that wasn't anger. It was pure rage and hatred. It startled me because the only other two people to look at me that way were my boys. They had long gotten over such hate towards me, even going as far to love me as the father I wanted to be towards them, eventually, so I wasn't desensitised as I once was, when I first arrived back into the boys' lives. I expected it from them…not Chris.

I tried to wrack my brain of anything I could have done to him but like I said before, I've never seen the boy so I can't think of a single thing. In my mind, I hadn't done anything but it was clear from his expression and actions that he harboured some sort of ill will towards me and thought that I'd wronged him in some way. Perhaps he has me mixed up with someone else? But then, he hadn't even attacked me until he had my name, as if he was waiting for it.

When he attacked me, I don't know what came over me. I hadn't fought back like I would usually have done. I'd taken everything he literally threw at me and didn't say a word and then I try to let him off for it. Charlie took him in regardless but that wasn't the point. If it was anyone else, I would have been fighting to get to him, to retaliate because that's just who I am but with Chris, I felt the need to hold back, to not hurt him and that pissed me off.

I didn't know the kid! Why should I feel that way towards him? It made no sense whatsoever but one thing I did know for sure, I wanted to talk to him, to find out why he attacked me and why he felt the need to lash out.

"Hey, Josh. You alright now?" my father, Levi, asked from his seat by the window, a chest board in front of him as he played against himself. His attention was on that instead of me.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I wish people would stop asking me that." I grumbled, folding my arms.

"He laid it on you good, Son." He chuckled. I rolled my eyes at the old man.

"Yeah, yeah. You know as well as I do that he wouldn't have gotten a second punch in if I was feeling myself." I retorted, indignantly. He chuckled again.

"And so, back to my original question, are alright now?" he mocked, glancing at me with a wry smirk. He knew that I hadn't been feeling myself and I sighed.

"I…Kinda, yeah. I don't know what happened, to be honest." I admitted, frowning.

"You didn't want to hurt the kid. Recognised him, maybe?" he guessed. I eyed him suspiciously.

"Do you know something I don't old man? Do you know how I seem to know him?" I asked.

"No, of course not. I was just speculating." He defended. I grumbled under my breath, getting to my feet to get a drink from the kitchen. Sue smiled at me from the kitchen stove and I nodded at her, going back to the living room just as my boys entered the front door. I sighed, knowing what was coming.

I silently made my way back to the couch, flopping down and staring at the TV. They both came in, scowling with their arms crossed. It was unbelievable how much they really were like me.

"What the hell was that today? Why did you let the little punk go?" Sam demanded of me and I could feel the force of his glare on the side of my head.

I didn't look at him as I replied, "Might I remind you that he was taken in by Charlie anyway."

"That's not the point, Dad. He practically assaulted you and you let him off. Who are you and where's our father?" Embry asked, suspiciously. I sighed.

"I'm still here, Embry. Don't be ridiculous." I grumbled.

"We just don't get it. Why didn't you fight back or press charges. You realise Charlie let him out last night? He stayed with Paul and Rachel for the night." Sam informed me, taking a seat next to me on the couch. Embry came in a few seconds later with three more beers, handing one to the two of us. Levi didn't drink so he was overseen.

"Why are you so fixated on seeing the boy fall, Sam? What's he done to ruffle your fur?" Levi asked from across the room, moving a knight in the mandatory 'L' shape across the board.

"He just…I don't know, he looks familiar. He came in here and caused a controversy." He grumbled.

"What controversy?" Levi asked the same time I asked, "Looks familiar? How so?"

"Just how he's stirred things up, Grandfather. You know the Res responds like vultures to gossip. We don't need it."

"It's what makes people's lives exciting. Why deprive them of it?" Levi always had a countering question. It was something that always pissed me off as a teenager and it made it impossible to win an argument with him.

"Just answer my question, Son." I replied, cutting off is next reply to his grandfather.

"What? Why he looks familiar?" I nodded. "I dunno. He just does. I don't like it."

"Your father thinks he looks familiar too. Can't be a coincidence." Levi mused.

"Well I don't think he looks familiar." Embry inserted, shrugging.

I was about to reply when the door opened and Jacob strolled in, pushing his father through in front of him. They smiled their identical grins at us all, something I sometimes found very creepy, if I'm honest.

"Hey, Old Man. What brings you here?" Levi asked Billy, actually getting up off his perch to greet him with a hand shake. Billy smiled and nodded.

"I was just coming to ask Josh if he still wanted to see Chris this morning. I was heading over right after this so if you want to, let's go." Billy said, looking over at me.

"Why would you go see him? Are you gonna beat the crap out of him this time?" Embry asked, smirking. I rolled my eyes at him, shaking my head.

"No, Embry. I'm just going to ask him what happened because I have no fucking idea." I replied, climbing to my feet and downing my beer.

"Language." Sue called from the kitchen.

"Sorry. I replied, quietly.

"I still think you should have pressed charges. You're an idiot." he sighed, shaking his head.

"Don't talk to your father like that, Embry. If he wants to talk to the boy, who are you to stand in his way. I'll come along too, Billy. This should be interesting to say the least." Levi announced, getting to his feet and walked out the house without another word. Sam and Embry kept their mouths shut after their grandfather's comment and I was grateful. I didn't need their grief about this. I just wanted to get to the bottom of it and fast.

I nodded to billy and we made our way towards the door. Jacob, evidently, was tagging along though it did make sense since he was the alpha but the two goons trailing behind me made no sense to me whatsoever. I stopped, turning around and giving my boys a stern look. Sam defiantly crossed his arms whilst Embry huffed.

"You cannot expect us to stay here whilst you confront the guy who beat you to a pulp." he laughed, dryly. I cocked an eyebrow.

"To a pulp? Give me some credit, Embry. I was not beaten to a pulp." I objected, shaking my head in exasperation. Sometimes, these two really were the reason why I was going prematurely grey.

"He's right. It didn't go that far." Jacob agreed, looking at his best friend like he was crazy. Embry just shrugged dismissively and stood by his brother, both eyeing me defiantly. I rolled my eyes, knowing that they'd just run over to Paul's if we didn't give them a ride anyway. I knew they weren't going to miss this.

We all climbed into Jacob's truck, well Bella's truck really but they shared everything. The boys opted to let me drive with Billy up front and took to the back so that they had more room to stretched their legs. I half listened to Billy go on about something tribe related but most of my mind was concentrating on conjuring up a solution, a reason, a motive for Chris' anger towards me. I just didn't understand at all.

We not long pulled up in front of Paul's house, seeing Rachel's car gone but Paul's still in the driveway. The guys hopped out the back and Jacob was instantly helping his father out the truck, settling him into his wheel chair. When he'd finished, I threw him the truck keys, which he caught without even looking, preferring to watch Paul exit his house, eyes on us and a warning clear on his face. He meant business and it was no secret where his feelings towards this boy was. He was protective and possessive, like you would be with a little brother.

He stopped a few feet away from us, feet spread shoulder width apart with his arms crossed over his chest. His face remained in his blank mask but his eyes burned with warning and anger.

"If you're here to cause more trouble then I can't let you in there." he said, bitingly. I cocked an eyebrow.

"More trouble? What do you mean 'more trouble'? He was the one who jumped our father, not the other way around!" Sam gritted, growling. Paul rolled his eyes.

"Get your head out your ass for one second and get over the fact that his being here threatens you." Paul retorted, eyes narrowed. We all eyed Sam questioningly but now wasn't the time. I turned back to Paul.

"I'm not here to cause trouble, Paul. I just want to know why." I assure him, hands raised. He narrowed his eyes at me, suspiciously.

"I mean it. I will not have him upset. He's...had a hard night, okay? His emotions are hanging from a thread and I _do not_ want him upset. You make him raise his voice even once, you're out. It has to be that way." Paul ended in a small, sad voice as he peered and kicked at the gravel around his feet. I frowned.

"What's with the tone? Do you know something?" I asked, curiously.

"We've...talked. Last night. This morning." he admitted, vaguely.

"Do you know why the punk beat on my father?" Embry asked, scowling. Paul sighed, looking away. "You do!"

"Yes, I do. He told me this morning but it's not my place to say and he might not even tell you today, or tomorrow or ever and you're going to have to respect that no matter how deep your curiosity goes. I'm sorry but he won't be saying anything he's uncomfortable with; I won't allow it so just keep that in mind when you come in and question him." Paul gave one last warning before uncrossing his arms and trekking back into the house. We all stood dumbfounded for a second before sharing a glance and heading towards the house as well.

As we entered, I could hear mumbling in the kitchen but decided not to go in there. I guessed that Chris was in there and Paul was explaining that we were here. Instead, I moved towards the living room, taking a seat on the edge of an armchair as I anxiously waited Chris to appear, if he did. Paul came in with a few beers but Chris was nowhere in sight. I couldn't get why I was so anxious and it frustrated me. Sam and Embry were eyeing me like I had lost my mind and rightly so; I never acted like this.

"Don't you fucking get it, Paul? I want nothing to do with him! Get him out!" Chris voice screamed from the kitchen, making the lot of us jump. My eyes widened as I heard his words and then frowned as I didn't know what he meant, or rather why he said it. Again, what did I do to him?

"I understand that, Chris but how are you going to find everything out you told me you wanted to know this morning if you don't try? You'll have to talk to him at some point to get your answers. Stop being a stubborn dick and get in there!" Paul shouted back.

"Fuck you, Paul. You have no idea how I feel right now."

I strained my ears as everything suddenly became quiet. Peering at the wolves, it was clear on their faces that even they couldn't hear anything that was being said in there, if anything was. For all we know, they could just be having an intense glaring contest. Hell, I knew both of them had mean glares to them as well. I sighed, waiting patiently beside Billy and Jacob whilst the other two continued to glare at the kitchen doorway. I rolled my eyes at them, deciding to ignore them for the time being.

Not a few minutes later, my back straightened as Paul walked into the room with a reluctant and clearly angry Paul trailing behind him. Paul sighed over his shoulder, taking a seat opposite us on another sofa, Chris opting to stand behind him, arms crossed as he looked anywhere but me. I used his ignorance against him, taking stock of his appearance.

Again, looking at his face, he looked so familiar, especially his lips, nose and eye shape. I see his eye's to properly determine their colour but if I remembered correctly, they were a deep brown, just like all over the Res. His jaw was set and locked, his lips pressed into a hard line. His eyes narrowed slightly and I noticed that they looked slightly red and puffy. Curiosity took hold of me again as it was clear that he'd been crying, but what about? Was it yesterday? Why would he have cried about yesterday? It made no sense. Clearly, there was a lot here that I was missing.

"Chris, good morning. How are you?" Billy began, smiling pleasantly at the boy with the standoffish posture. Paul's elbow, which had been resting across the top of the couch, nudged back and hit Chris' side softly. He glared up at him, the gesture being returned before Chris' gaze turned to Billy and Billy alone.

"I'm fine, Billy. How are you?" he asked, tightly. Billy smiled, choosing to be oblivious to his tone, though I knew he wasn't.

"I'm quite well actually." he replied.

"Billy, I don't mean to be an ass or anything but could we move this along~? Rachel's gonna be back soon to cook lunch." Paul informed him, hard faced. Billy smiled and nodded, eyeing Chris before shrugging.

"You want to tell us what happened yesterday, Son?" He asked, clearly. Chris flinched, eyes narrowing for some reason which was illustrated in his next sentence.

"Don't call me that. No one calls me that." he sighed. Billy nodded, understandingly. Paul gave him a comforting smile and his eyes flickered to me very briefly before looking away again.

"Alright, I can respect that. Do you mind answering the question?"

"I hit him." Chris shrugged, nonchalantly. Billy chuckled, as if he'd expected that answer. The kid had some guys speaking to the Chief of the Tribe this way. It was clear on Jacob's face that he also found it amusing but the other two, not so much.

"You did more than hit him, Chris but Josh has promised not to press charges as long as you give him some answers." Billy replied.

At this, Chris' expression darkened and for the first time since we'd arrived, his gaze connected with mine and I felt that same cold chill from his glare I'd felt yesterday. He maintained my gaze as he scowled and replied, "And what makes him believe he's worthy of any answers, when he owes me more than I him and he deserved everything eh got yesterday?" he spat, bitterly. Sam growled but I and Jacob waved him off.

"Well, that's some of the answers I need, Chris. I have no idea what I've done. Honestly, I don't. I have no idea why you harbour such...such hatred towards me." I told him. He looked at me disgusted, as if he couldn't believe that I was talking directly to him. He also looked incredulous as he leaned on the back of the couch with his hands, leaning over Paul as he shook his head.

"Are you telling me that you don't recognise me? Well, no, I shouldn't be surprised. It was just a game to you, huh? You make me sick." he growled, pushing away from the couch and turning to look out the back windows, looking over the forest. He bit on his thumb nail but no other, the action also being familiar to me.

"Well, you do look familiar but I can't put my finger on it. Your lips, your nose and eye shape. I se things in you that remind me of so much but don't _remind_ me, if you understand."

"No, not really." he mumbled into his hand, flatly. I sighed, running my hand through my hair frustratedly as I climbed to my feet.

Something else he said struck me and I turned to him with a curious but guarded expression. He didn't meet my penetrative gaze. "What do you mean it was all a game to me? What was? I don't understand." I stated, confused.

"Tell me, _Josh_, we're you a randy teen?"

his question caught me off guard and I spluttered, unsure of how I should answer. Why did he want to know that? Of course I was, that's how Sam and Embry came about but I had no idea where he was going with this. I shrugged at him when he peered at me, having not heard an answer.

"It's a simple question. Yes or no."

"Well, yeah, I suppose." I conceded. Sam and Embry shared a chuckle and eye roll. I glared at them. Now wasn't the time.

"You ever visited Maine in your life?" he continued with his unusual questioning. I nodded my affirmation when he glanced at me. He turned his gaze to the window and Paul got to his feet, placing a supportive hand on his shoulder, as if he knew this next question was going to be hard for him to ask, before continuing, "Ever meet a girl called...called Alicia Tyler?"

I felt my blood flow cold in my veins hearing that one name. I felt my head spin and my throat clenched painfully with dread and panic. I clutched anything and everything I could to stop me from falling over but eventually, I just had to sit down. My eyes glazed over, my mind lost in its memories.

A beautiful dark skinned woman. Her pretty, sleek black locks to her waist. That hourglass figure that caught my eye in the first place. Her delicate hand as I took it in mine and the softness of her skin against my lips as I kissed her knuckles, laying the charm on thick, just for a chance to mere speak with this fine woman. My eyes closed as memory after memory flashed through my mind like a fucking movie, that one name being the catalyst for it all.

My eyes snapped open and widened as I recalled those plump, red lips, the cute nose and eyes that bewitched me in the best of ways. My gaze dragged towards the boy now glaring at me with his arms crossed, as if waiting for me to make some sort of connection or some shit. Those lips...those eyes...that nose.

It couldn't be...

"Alicia Tyler. Wh-What about h-her? Why would you b-bring her up?" I stuttered. My throat was as dry as a bone and I gulped down masses of beer to moisten it but I was useless.

"Oh, so you _do_ remember? You remember how you seduced her, barely eighteen but still legal and fair game in your eyes. What, didn't age matter to you if it was at least over eighteen?" he asked, his face full of twisted, sarcastic humour and a wry smile as he confronted my shaking form. "Huh? Do you remember that day when she came to you, told you she was pregnant and yet you turned the blind eye because you were too much of a COWARD to take responsibility for YOUR mistake?

"Do you remember the day you were approached by that social worker not many years ago, a decade, only ten years ago, telling you that you had to take up your responsibility now that there was no one left to do it and then you turned her away, sealing that responsibility's fate like a fucking air tight prison cell door? Do you really know what you caused? How much guilt truly rests on your shoulders because you were too much of a coward?

"Of course you don't because you see no one else but yourself and it doesn't matter if Alicia gave her life to something that didn't deserve it, that was never good enough for it. To you, it doesn't matter that you caused year upon painful year of loneliness and heartache and agony, just as long as you had your freedom, freedom from responsibility and commitment. To you, nothing is worth getting tied down for.

"So I repeat, you don't deserve the answers you're searching for and you deserved everything you received yesterday. I'd do it again." Chris snarled, tears streaking down his face but he didn't acknowledge them.

I sat frozen, unable to believe my ears or what my mind was screaming at me like a mantra. My mind flashed through the memories as he brought them to the front and I cringed with each one, wishing that I could go back and change everything, that I could go back and make that commitment because Alicia was worth it. She was one among three thing s that I had total regret over in my life. I thought the first two was lost cases but that third was my last hope. When it fell through, it broke me and it made me determined to fix the first two. And I have.

But now that third had presented itself to me once again and I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe my luck.

"Chris...What's your last name?" I breathed, hoarsely. I had to have confirmation. Chris' face hardened, eyes narrowing as his arms crossed and he swallowed hard. I gave him a pleading look, feeling like I would pass out any moment.

"Tyler. My name is Christopher Tyler, named after Alicia's father, my Grandfather. I'm Alicia's son."

_You're my son..._

* * *

**Dun dun dun! Who saw that coming, really? Be honest :)**

**I hope you enjoyed it! :D Please send me a review and tell me what you think because it was brighten my otherwise stressful and dull college day. Please give me something to smile about! :))))))**

**love,  
****MrsWolfPack  
****x**


	10. Spark

**Hey, hey, my lovelies!**

**So this is a turning chapter. A lot happens for the good between Chris and Seth. I hope you enjoy it!**

**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN TWILIGHT! UNFORTUNATELY… D:**

**Without further ado…Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 9**

**Spark**

* * *

**Chris' Point of View**

I growled in frustration as my skin sizzled against the piece of crap engine I was working on. I yanked my hand back, assessing the damage up close. Yep, another blister for my blister riddled hand. I sighed, shaking my hand slightly to rid it of the sting before getting back to work, silently. I could feel eyes on me, concerned eyes but I ignored the, fiddling away with the engine.

My mood was foul, as you could probably guess. I certainly wasn't very sociable right now, even towards Paul or Rachel but it didn't warn them off at all. Oh no, not them. They invited me over for dinner almost every night and I accepted just to be polite to the people who have had my back for most of my time spent here. They tried to pick up conversation whenever they could, not even expecting me to answer back but spoke nonetheless, like reminding me that they were there. I had to admit that I appreciated it that. They didn't hate me for what I'd done to their elder, unlike some other idiots around here, namely his sons.

It'd been a week since the emotional tirade I went on towards Joshua and I hadn't spoken to him since, though that didn't mean I didn't see him. In fact, every morning before school and evening after I came home from work or Paul's house, Joshua had made it a habit for the last week to show up at my front door, uninvited. I just end up slamming the door in his face or ignoring him as I walked to my bike, every time.

I wasn't interested in what he had to say. He may be my father, the guy who lent out his sperm, but he wasn't my Dad and he had no right to me anymore. The courts say so. He's had 17 years to find and talk to me like he wanted to do now. What had been stopping him then and why now? I didn't give a toss. I'd survived without him thus far, albeit barely but still, I survived. I didn't need him at all.

Thankfully, none of the guys said anything at work or school so that was a bonus. I didn't think about how belly up things could go for me here if everyone held some resentment towards me. I would probably leave and for some reason, the thought caused a dull ache in my chest.

I wasn't in my right mind when I attacked Joshua but that doesn't mean I regret it now. No way. I was glad that I roughed him up like I had. It relieved some pent up anger from my chest and I felt lighter sometimes, when I was relaxing. I'd waited 17 years to bring justice to his abandonment and now that I had, I could truly forget about him. I could have lost everything though – my residence, my school, my job. But I didn't and for that, I had Paul to thank.

I owed Paul and Rachel so much. They've stood by me more than anyone else, supporting and comforting me even when I didn't want anything from them, when I wanted to be alone. I've been able to trust them above everyone else, which was something I found extremely difficult to do, and I was then able to tell them things that I had not even told my ex-social worker. It was easy to be myself with them…and I fucking loved it.

I spoke about my trivial matters with them, expanding my personal opinions and laughed more. Even my smile made a regular appearance on my face whilst at their house, whether it was watching the game with Paul, joking around with him or trying to teach Rachel how to cook. She was hopeless, she truly was but both of them appreciated my effort.

Despite my awesome week with Paul and Rachel though, I couldn't help but be in a foul mood this morning and for once, it had nothing whatsoever to do with Joshua Uley…Kind of.

_Flashback…_

_I was running late for school. I'd had a nightmare last night and it took me forever to get back to sleep. I did eventually at four this morning and I was up at 6 again. I'm paying for that now. I'd be lucky if I made it there for the second bell at this rate. I pulled on my leather jacket, a piece of toast hanging out my mouth. My keys were in the bowl beside the door so I just had to pick up my wallet, phone and iPod before taking off out the door, picking up my keys along the way. _

_I locked the door, keeping my head down and I wasn't paying attention whatsoever. I suddenly collided with a fucking brick wall which happened to sit right in the middle of my footpath and have hands that caught me before I could crash to the ground. Unfortunately, my iPod wasn't so lucky and it jolted out of my hands and to the hard ground below, luckily not smashing it. I growled in frustration and looked up, only to come face to face with the two people who came close to being as bad at Uley – his sons, Sam and Embry. _

_Sam was scowling as always when he saw me around the Res but Embry was smiling pleasantly, looking apologetic as he'd been the one I'd bumped into. He bent down, scooping up my iPod and offering it to me like some sort of peace offering. I took them quickly, mumbling thank you before moving to walk around them. A hand shot out, taking my forearm into it hard to halt me. I looked at the hand in disgust and then at its owner. Sam. _

"_Let go of me before you lose your arm." I ordered, deadly calm and glaring. He scowled back but let go of my arm. I began to walk away again but Embry called my name. _

"_Hey Chris, just wait a sec, please? We just want to talk." He called, calmly. I sighed, mounting my bike after getting out my helmet. _

"_I don't have time. I'm late for school." I mumbled, not looking at them. I'm glad that I had the excuse. I really didn't want to talk to them or their father. _

"_Fine then. Later, talk to us later." Embry asked. _

"_no."_

"_Why not?" Sam asked, exasperated. _

"_Because there's nothing to say. Just because we share a father doesn't make us family. It doesn't make us brothers. I need to go." I snapped back, shoving on my helmet and starting the engine of my bike. _

"_We're not like him, Chris. The both of us were in exactly the same position as you are now, hating him but we got over it. We're sure you could to if you just spoke to him." He told me, trying to be reasonable. I stared at him blankly as his words passed straight through my head. _

"_Not happening; never will." I replied shortly before gunning the engine and peeling down the street towards school, seething. _

_End Flashback…_

School hadn't treated me any better, to be honest. In fact, it was damn right hell. My teachers got onto me for my foul mood, which of course, placed me in an even fouler one. They didn't seem to get that at all. The stares were much more annoying today from the other students. I've been there how long and they're still gaping at me like I had green skin. Freaks.

The only comfort I seemed to take in as my own was from the Clearwater twins, Leah and Seth…

Seth…

I was finding it increasingly harder to ignore the flutter my stomach gave every time I heard, thought or spoke his name, though the latter was highly unusual, in public at least. Yeah, you heard me and probably assumed right – my favourite pass time right now seemed to be jacking off to images of the boy Clearwater.

It would disturb most guys to think about another guy whilst they were jacking off but not me, I chose to. I couldn't help it. It felt wrong to think of _someone else_ during and I couldn't figure out why. It wasn't like it was just regular experience either. I came, hard every time and it always left me panting and mind boggled.

I just couldn't shift him from my head but then, I had no idea how he got there in the first place. He was just _there_ one day and then I couldn't budge him.

A loud crash sounded behind me and I spun around to find the source. Quil and Jacob were wrestling and had knocked a crate of parts over, laughing hysterically. I was so surprised and amused by them that I didn't even feel the burn until it became too unbearable. I screamed, cursing loudly and capturing the whole shop's attention as I held my hand close to my chest, grimacing. Jacob dashed towards me, concerned but it was Seth who reached me first, firing questions at me left, right and centre without giving me a chance to reply to any of them, not that I caught any of them anyway he was talking so fast.

"Oh my God, are you alright? Why did you scream? What happened? Can I see it? Do you need a doctor? Fuck, you probably do! Can you ride your bike? No, of course not. Should I drive you? Yeah, yeah I'll drive you-"

"Seth, easy, calm down and take a deep breath. I'm fine. I just burned myself." I assured him, not liking his hysterical state. It made me uneasy and it made me even more so to know that it was because of him. He continued to fuss over me as if he didn't even hear what I said and I sighed, grabbing the hand that was trying to grasp my injure one to inspect it.

We both froze at the contact for a mixture of reasons. For me, it was the fact that he'd gasped and he was now looking at me as if the sun literally shone out my ass. It was also the fact that I had grabbed his hand right in front of his friends, my boss and co-workers. For him, I was sure it was because I'd grabbed him at all, effectively bringing him out of his dazed and hysterical state of worry (of which I found very flattering, surprisingly). I think the one reason we had in common, however, was the intense electrical charge pulsing between us, originating at our hands. It was like wild fire coursing through my veins and it stunned my entire body.

Silence took over the shop as we stood motionless, staring into each other's eyes like we were the only two there but I paid the others no mind anyway, seeming hypnotised by this strange creature before me.

Silence took over the shop as we stood motionless, staring into each other's eyes like we were the only two there but I paid the others no mind anyway, seeming hypnotised by this strange creature before me. He swallowed convulsively, drawing my gaze down to the column of his throat, where his Adam's apple bobbed deliciously. Why did I have a sudden urge to lick and bite him?

I closed my eyes, gently pulling my hand away from his before I did something that I'd regret later. Jacob took my burnt arms, gently turning it palm upward so that he could inspect it. I heard several hissing sounds but I was still looking at Seth. He looked so worried and he cursed, glancing down at my hand.

"Shit, Chris, you need to go to the hospital. You have second degree burns here. What the fuck did you do? Close your fist around it and forget?" Jacob gasped, his eyes wide. I shrugged.

"Something like that." I mumbled. "I can't feel it really. I'm fine."

"No fucking way. You're going. No arguing or I'll tell my mom and _she'll_ come down and take you, not to mention the lecture you'll receive." Seth added, stern but with a chuckle at the end. I sighed, dreading the thought of Sue coming down here and I knew he wasn't joking about the lecture. By the smug (sexy) look on his face, I knew he knew what I was thinking.

"Fine, whatever, let's go." I grumbled, crossing my arms. He beamed like kid on Christmas morning, which I didn't get since he was only taking me to the hospital, and I heard a few chuckles from the guys.

He practically dragged me towards his car and I'd be lying if I didn't find it adorable. Being here has seriously screwed me up if I'm thinking like this. I'd never have thought like this before coming here. I let him though, finding that I liked the contact between us and that I didn't have to pretend it wasn't happening because he had a hold of me instead of the other way round.

He actually opened my door for me and as I cocked an eyebrow at him, he blushed scarlet, realising what he'd just done. I had to admit, it made me feel like a chick but I'd be damned if I didn't think it was the most adorable and sweetest thing someone had done for me. Yep, being here had screwed me up for good.

"Yeah, don't do that shit again or I might hit you. Fair warning." I told him, climbing into the truck. He nodded, blushing deeper and he began to close the door behind me. My hand shot out, halting the door as I gave him a reproachful but amused look from under my eyelashes. He frowned in confusion for a minute before he clocked on and released the door as if it had just burned him.

"Uh, yeah, sorry about that." He murmured, nervously wringing his hands. I smiled and nodded, closing the door myself. I noticed that he hadn't moved after a minute and frowned in confusion. Near the garage, I saw Jacob and Paul mouthing something but couldn't make out what they were saying. I rolled my eyes then unwound my window, capturing Seth's attention. He was blushing more than ever and damn, if it wasn't cute! What the hell had they said to him?

"Yeah, my hand is kinda burning in here so could we, like, get a move on and not mouth at each other across the lot?" I asked, suppressing a smirk. I couldn't help but mess with the guy. He was easy to wind up, to be honest. His eyes widened at me caught and he began to nod his head like a Churchill dog, rushing over to the drivers' seat. I couldn't stop the low chuckle that escaped me as I wound my window back up.

I waved to the other guys as we drove away, feeling the smirk firmly in place despite trying to fight it. The drive was silent and I peered out my window, thoughtfully. In my peripheral, I caught the annoying bouncing of Seth's knee and without thinking, my hand reached over to still it. We both froze. What was with my involuntary behaviour today? Had the link between my brain and limbs been severed or something? Damn.

I glanced up at him, catching his gaze and my breath hitched. I swallowed hard, slowly taking my hand away from his knee and my fingers kneaded softly without permission. His eyes rolled back and at the last minute, his hand shot out and trapped mine between his and his knee. My stomach quivered at his touch and my mind was screaming at me that we were traveling into dangerous waters right now. I swallowed hard, looking at him straight in the eyes as I pulled my hand from under his, hoping that he got the picture. He sighed, returning his hand to the steering wheel, watching the road in front of him.

Oh fuck, Chris, what the hell are you doing?

**Seth's Point of View**

My heart was using my ribcage as its own personal drum. I could hardly get air into my lungs enough to stay conscious. All I could think about was the feel of his hand in mine, how well they fit together and how he didn't seem to complain too much about it. My wolf was giddy with excitement at being so close to our imprint and all I wanted to do was reach back over and take his hand. Well, his good hand at least.

When he screamed back at the shop, I nearly fainted with the amount of fear, worry and panic coursing through me. My wolf had been snarling within me, urging me to search and destroy, to protect our mate. When we both realised that there was no danger (though we considered pulverising the car that hurt him) and that he'd hurt himself badly, I was at his side faster than you could say 'Ephraim Black'. I fussed over him more than I probably should have, considering we barely called each other friends. I probably freaked him out a lot more than he let on. The last thing I wanted to do was scare him.

We he actually let me drag him towards my truck, I felt like doing a happy dance right in the middle of Jake's garage. My wolf was howling with the prospect of having alone time with Chris, even in a measly little hospital. We'd take what we could get without complaint.

Now, we found ourselves driving towards Forks General Hospital to treat his burnt hand. I still can't believe he'd done that. He should have known better!

"Oh, I'm sorry. We humans aren't allowed to make mistakes?" Chris asked suddenly, totally blanking my mind. What's he talking about?

"Huh?" Oh, what an eloquent response, you dipshit! No wonder you're only getting Cs in English! I'm amazed you're getting as much. Idiot.

But, my temporary mental retardation seemed to amuse Chris as he chuckled and I didn't seem to dumb anymore. He peered over to me, still chuckling with a beautiful grin on his face. My stomach clenched with desire as SJ perked up and said hello.

"You said that out loud." He told me, grinning. My eyes widened in mortification as I thought he meant my last thought. My expression drove him to explain. "You said 'I should have known better' and then I said, 'Oh, I'm sorry. We humans aren't allowed to make mistakes?'"

"Oh…" I'm a total idiot. "I mean, uh, sorry. I didn't mean to, really. Apparently, I do it a lot but I never know when I'm doing it. It's quite embarrassing." I rambled, blushing.

"I dunno…It's kinda cute." He contradicted before his eyes became as wide as saucers and he peered out the window, blushing slightly.

"Excuse me?" I asked, dumbfounded. Had he really just said what I think he did?

"Um…nothing." I he mumbled, lowly. I shook my head.

"No, no, no, no, no. Did you just say I was cute?" I asked, grinning as my wolf did his own happy dance within me. I wished more than ever that I could on him. He sighed.

"Actually, I said that the habit was cute, not you." He corrected, matter-of-factly. It didn't put me down though. I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"But the habit is a part of me and you called it cute so you indirectly called me cute too."

How'd you figure?"

Admit it. You think I'm cute, Chris Tyler." I teased, poking his side. He flinched in surprise and gaped at me. I grinned.

"Had anyone told you how annoying you are?" he asked, exasperated but I could see a smile twitching at his lips. He was avoiding my statement. Ha! He totally did! YES!

"Yeah, Leah says it every day but stop avoiding me. Admit it."

"Oh look, we're here." He replied, quickly getting out the car faster than I could look up to confirm his statement. I gaped after him, gobsmacked that he actually full out avoiding the whole topic of me being cute.

What did that mean, anyway? Why did he keep avoiding it? Did he really not think I was cute? Did that mean he found me ugly? Or did he think I was cute and just didn't want to admit it? Was he embarrassed to say? Or perhaps ashamed to think of me that way?

My mind was in shambles as I tried to wrap it around the many different scenarios racing through it. Each different one made my wolf and I react in three different ways. The thought f him thinking I was cute made us both smile and jump with glee. He not thinking it at all made us sad, depressed and we even whimpered a tiny bit. And lastly, I couldn't bear the thought of him thinking I was cute but being ashamed to think that way. It devastated me and the wolf exponentially.

"Um…yeah, that was your cue to get out the car too." Chris chuckled from beside me. I jumped, not even realising that he had opened my car door. I peered over at him, blushing.

"Oh, um, yeah, sorry. I'll just get out." I stuttered,, unable to meet his gaze because I felt like a complete and utter tool. Though, I did notice that he opened and closed my door behind me when I got out and I didn't know why he didn't like it. I felt cared for and found that I loved it. Stupid, huh? I coughed nervously as he glanced my way before stalking towards the A&E entrance with me trailing behind him like a little lost puppy.

In fact, that's all I could do. Chris seemed to know where to go through the hospital. I felt uncomfortable with that thought. Why was he so familiar? Was he hurt a lot in his past? I buried the thought in the back of my mind. My wolf growled and became angry so it had to be. I couldn't phase in a hospital, even more so near Chris.

So I concentrated on the way he walked and the slight sway of his shoulders. I tried to keep my eyes forward and not let them linger lower, towards his ass but I just couldn't help it. I bit back a groan at the sight of it as he walked. It took everything in me not to reach forward and fucking grab and molest it or something. Surely, he'd deck me for that, right?

My mind drifted back to that day in the garage and every day after that when he'd taken his shirt off. I almost drooled every time seeing his tight, ripped abs and strong pectorals straining with his every movement. To be honest, I hadn't even seen another guy who wasn't a werewolf with abs like ours. It just made me think about all the hard work he'd have had to put in to get his physique. It also made me wonder how hard he'd work if we were f-

I collided with a soft back and I yelped, reaching out instinctively to catch Chris before he fell forwards to the floor. Steadying him, I apologised profusely whilst brushing off everywhere I could reach. He laughed, seizing my hands with his one and giving me a mock glare, shining with humor.

"Care to pay attention now?" he chuckled, shaking his head. I nodded like a Churchill dog. He grinned. "Good."

I bowed my head in shame as he turned to walk again, smirking at me over his shoulder. Then it hit me…HE CAUGHT ME CHECKING HIM OUT! My face flamed dangerously and I wanted to dive for cover in case I caught fire. The sight made Chris laugh out loud, knowing that I'd clocked on to what his smirk meant.

I made an effort to keep my eyes anywhere but him for the rest of our time in the hospital, following obediently and waiting when I couldn't go in with him into the rooms for treatment, at which time I sat anxiously looking at the door every few seconds and biting my nails. Eventually, he came out with a white bandage wrapped tightly around his hand and I could smell the chemicals and ointments they'd used on it to keep it clean and whatnot. I stood instantly, making the nurse look at me speculatively before smirking at Chris. He chuckled before flagging me to follow him. And I did, like the obedient puppy I am.

Reaching the lobby of the hospital, I knew that our time was coming to an end and my heart began to ache painfully in my chest. I hated and couldn't bear the thought of leaving him whilst he was injured as he was right now but I knew that I had no excuse to stay with him anymore. My wolf whimpered and I had the strong urge to answer him in kind. He didn't want this anymore than I did.

"So, um…" I stuttered awkwardly, kicking the non-existent sand at my feet just so I didn't have to look at him in my awkwardness. It only worsened the ache in my chest when I did anyway. I already knew I was spending the rest of my evening and night laid outside his our inside the treeline.

"So…" he repeated, lowly. Damn, he was as awkward as I was right now and all I wanted to do was pull him to my chest and hug it all away, so that he was happy again. "So I guess you should take me home then?"

It came out more as a question and it made me smile because whether he was conscious of it or not, he didn't want us to go our separate ways any more than I did. I nodded reluctantly though, still coming up blank for an excuse to stay in his presence as we made our way to the car.

I resisted the urge to open his door for him but also to ask him to open mine for me as well. It was weird to feel like you wanted to protect my imprint, like my wolf wanted and hounded me to do but then, at the same time, to want your imprint to protect you instead, which the man in me wanted. It was very confusing. Being in his presence felt beyond right and calming but I couldn't help the feeling that something was missing from our imprint dynamic and my wolf and I couldn't put a finger (and claw) on what was missing or even why it was.

We both climbed into the car in silence, thinking about the time we'd spent together thus far. It was only in a hospital but I had more fun than had anticipated. Chris was a lot more open with you when he felt more comfortable around your presence and was funnier than I would have expected as well. Whilst we were waiting those few times to see some other health professional, he practically had me in stitches with the different running commentaries he made for each of the staff.

I never truly realised how much he and Paul were alike. They were exactly the same and it made sense why Paul had been drawn to help him, and even Rachel's reasoning made complete sense. They both saw Paul in Chris' personality, well the old, angry Paul but Paul nonetheless. That's why they connected so well.

We were still silent halfway towards Chris' house and I found myself slowing down in a last ditch effort to spend more time with him. God, I wish I did. I don't know whether he noticed or not, or if he felt the same. I was started out of my thoughts when Chris cursed loudly and my head snapped over to him. My eyes widened in panic as I thought he'd hurt himself again.

"I need to get my bike but I can't ride it with this fucking bandage!" he growled. Fuck, that was sexy – both his swearing and the growl! Then I sighed in relief as I realised that he hadn't cursed because he'd hurt himself again but because he was worried about his bike. He really needed to stop exclaiming like that though. I don't know how much my wolf and I could take. I smiled, whipping out my phone.

Why don't I just call one of the guys to pick it up and ride it back to your house for when we get there? I'm sure they wouldn't mind. You left your keys there, right?" I asked, already typing in Jake's number to call. He made a noise half panicked and half protesting as he turned to me wide eyed, shaking his head almost frantically.

"No way! No one rides the bike except me! No one! No way!" he spluttered, frowning. "I'll do it myself. I'll be fine. It's okay. Put the phone down."

I frowned deeply. "No, I don't think that's a good idea. I'd hate for you to crash. No, it's safer this way." I expressed, worriedly. He stared at me dumbfounded for a moment, as if he was surprised that I'd care so much about him –_ To bad, baby because I care more than anyone now. Better get used to it,_ I thought – before sighing, deeply.

"Fine then…but Paul has to be the one to get it. No one else. Only him." He stipulated, crossing his arms as he sulked out the window. I smiled at the cuteness of it for a second before deleting Jake's number off my phone and typing in Paul's. he picked up after the second ring and sounded like he was just finishing off a mouthful of food.

"Hey Seth, how's Chris?" he asked before I had even opened my mouth to say hello. I sighed but smiled.

"He's good. Just bandaged up nice and tight." I informed him, glancing over at Chris to see him glaring at the phone as if he resented the fact that he couldn't hear the conversation. I smirked.

"Good. Are you on your way back then?"

"Yeah."

"Was there something that you needed, Seth?" he asked, slightly exasperated as I wasn't speaking and yet I was the one to call him.

I blushed and I heard Chris chuckle. Glancing over to him, I said, "Oh yeah, could you possibly get his bike from the shop and ride it back to his house? He can't ride with his hand and I don't want him to try." I asked, biting my lip. I tried to ignore Chris' eyes watching the movement but really, who could ignore their imprint looking at them like he was right now? I swallowed hard and his gaze moved to my thought. I almost groaned as he licked his lips, unknowingly.

"Oh hell yes! I've been itching to get on that bike since he arrived! He never let me when I asked before though. Sure thing. See you at his house." he agreed excitedly.

"I think most of the guys have wanted to ride that bike. You're gonna make a lot of them jealous." I chuckled, smiling at Chris, who smirked. Oh yeah, he knew the envy he received for that bike.

Paul laughed. "I'd be sure to rub it in their faces." He vowed. I laughed as well.

"Alright, well, we'll see ya."

"Tell him to be careful! I'll be inspecting it when we get there so there better not be a scratch!" Chris shouted, suddenly, making me jump and Paul laugh on the other side of the receiver.

"You get that?" I chuckled, rolling my eyes at Chris, who looked to be 100% serious. Paul laughed again.

"Yeah. Tell him I'm gonna grind up his right side, just so he knows." He teased and I chuckled.

"He says he's gonna grind up the right side, just so you know." I forwarded, watching as Chris' face paled before glaring at the receiver again.

"I'll strangle him! You know what, forget it. I'll get it myself." He rushed, quickly reaching over for my phone to hang up but I moved out of his way, grinning.

"Alright, so if you just take it to Chris' house, Paul. We'll see you there." I said.

Paul cackled. "Yeah, you bet. See ya."

"Bye."

We both hung up and I threw my phone into the side compartment of my door. I turned to Chris to see him glaring at me, arms crossed. I wanted to feel ashamed that I'd upset him but the twitching at the corners of his lips prevented me from going there. He wasn't mad at me.

"Don't worry, Chris. He'll take good care of her, I promise." I assured him, smiling. He stared at me for another second before deflating, looking out the window.

"He'd better." He threatened, lowly. I smiled, happy that I could give him that assurance. It made me feel useful, helpful.

We drove for a few more minutes until our attention was snapped to our left as the familiar sound of Chris' beast of a bike approached fast behind us. Chris was practically on the edge of his seat and nearly fainted as Paul manoeuvred the bike so it was inches away from the side of my truck, grinning manically at Chris through the window. I laughed, shaking my head. Oh yeah, he was having the time of his life on there. Then he zoomed past us towards the house.

"Never again. He's never riding that bike again. He'd not even going to touch it. The fucker!" Chris exclaimed, glaring at the guy until he disappeared around a bend.

"I meant what I said, Chris. He's just fucking with you. I'll help you beat him up when we get home." I promised, putting a hand on his forearm before i could think about it. He tensed for a second before relaxing, acting as if my hand wasn't there at all but I saw the slight smile on his face as he looked out the window. My heart soared. He liked my touch?

"Yeah, okay." He murmured, lowly. I smiled and pulled onto his street.

As we approached the house, Paul was leant against the bike, looking smug as fuck with his arms crossed over his chest. I hadn't even pull on the handbrake before Chris was out and screaming at Paul.

"You little fucker! What did you think you were trying to pull? That's my pride and joy and you act like it means nothing! Idiot!" he shouted with his arms flailing.

Paul laughed. "Oh please, nothing's happened to it. Chill out before you give yourself a migraine or something. Here's your keys." He said, throwing them at him. Chris caught them calmly, panting hard as he glared at Paul, who was still smirking.

"Fucker." Chris mumbled before smiling and bumping his fist with his. Paul then laughed, pulling Chris into a headlock as he walked towards the house.

"I thought you knew what the fuck you were doing with cars?"

"I do." Chris answered, defensively. Paul chuckled, doubtfully.

"Yeah, right. All mechanics hold onto the hot metal of the engine like their life depended on it and gave themselves second degree burns." He relied, dryly. Chris threw him the finger, laughing as he pushed him off him. I watched in amazement at the sheer openness of Chris right now. There were no boundaries between them and I wanted more than anything to have that as well.

And then Chris looked back at me, smiling as he inclined his head inside. "You coming in? You gotta be hungry as you missed dinner." He asked, unsurely. I beamed and nodded. I saw Paul silently chuckling behind Chris and glared at him.

"You bet. I could always eat." I replied, following the pair into the house.

I had never been here and as soon as I stepped in the front door, I never wanted to leave. It smelled overwhelmingly like him here. Every surface permeated his scent and I just wanted to bury my face into his couch, knowing that, besides his own bed, it would be one of the most concentrated surfaces in the house. it was so Chris' style but was more feminine that I had expected. Most bachelor pads don't have any womanly touch inside them at all but his has. It was amazing.

It felt like home.

And I wanted so much for it to be a reality.

I was brought out of my daydream by loud laughter retreating towards what I assumed to be the kitchen. Not wanting to linger too long around here, I quickly followed after them, becoming in awe of his kitchen. I smiled at the modernisms of it and especially loved the island counters and the bar stools. Paul seemed totally at ease here, even to the point here _he_ was the one getting three beers out of the fridge instead of Chris. He just sat at the counter, hands together in front of him as he listened to Paul talk with rapt attention, like he was his idol or something. Did Paul realise the way Chris looked at him? I doubt it.

"Seth, come and sit down. We don't bite." Paul ordered, placing a beer in front of the seat next to Chris. I blushed as Paul smirked mischievously. "Well, I can't speak for Chris but he might if you asked him to."

My face flamed dangerously as my eyes widened tot eh point they hurt. Chris was tense in his seat and all Paul could do was laugh at our reactions, shaking his head at something. I swallowed hard, wanting to hide my face in embarrassment as I took the seat next to Chris, downing nearly half of my beer whilst glaring at Paul across the counter. He just shrugged, sipping his own beer.

"Paul, shut the fuck up!" Chris laughed, shaking his head. Paul grinned.

"You know it's true."

"No, it isn't." he laughed again and I sat there dumbfounded. Was this the same Chris that came here weeks ago? No, it wasn't, I was adamant about that fact. Why did he laugh the notion of biting me off? Was it because he didn't want to? Or that he was embarrassed as well? Why is that? "Just shut the fuck up and start making some sandwiches, Meraz."

"Only if I can make myself some, Tyler."

"You will with or without my permission so just hurry up." He laughed before getting to his feet, grabbing his beer and looking at me with a smile on his face.

"Come on, let's watch some TV whilst he pays me back for endangering my Baby." He told me, smirking. I chuckled.

"Oh, get over it. She's fine!" Paul laughed.

"Not the point." He called over his shoulder before flopping down onto the couch, never jostling his beer. He smiled up at me and patted the seat next to him. I was surprised as I sat down, glancing at him. He chuckled. "Relax Seth, I really won't bite…I know that I set a bad impression when I first came here but…I want to change that, if you'll let me."

I stared at him, dumbfounded. Where was the Chris I'd been used to seeing these past few weeks?

"Right." I chuckled, sitting down as close as I dared next to him. He glanced at me, as if he knew what I was thinking and trying to do and I blushed. My ears felt like they were on fire and I cursed this bad habit; it gave me right away.

We sat in silence as he began to flick through the channels, settling on a rerun of baseball game that I'd missed last night but really wanted to watch. He looked over at me as if to ask 'is this alright?' and I smiled, nodding. He smiled back before turning back to the TV. I had to fight the urge to reach over and take his hand or something stupid like that.

My knees began to bounce with the nervousness and anxiety that was circling throughout my entire body ad I could see Chris glancing between it and my face with an amused expression. he didn't do anything to make me stop though, which slightly disappointed me but just because he did it once, I shouldn't expect him to do it every time.

Paul was taking entirely too long in the kitchen, making our sandwiches. I could hear him banging around, chuckling to himself every so often like a mad man. I wasn't complaining though. I'd take any and all chances to spend some time with Chris.

"So, Seth, tell me about yourself." Chris ordered, smiling as he muted the TV. I looked at it and then him, wondering if this was too good to be true. Was he really trying to get to know me? Was I really questioning this? Why wasn't I talking already? Your imprint is talking to you!

"Oh, um…" Nice, real nice. Idiot. "I mean, I'm not…that interesting actually."

He chuckled. "Come on, don't be shy. There has to be _something_ unique about you." He said, still smiling. _Yeah, I spout fur, chase and kill vampires in my spare time and see fully grown men naked from time to time because it's unavoidable._ Yeah, I could totally tell him that. I shrugged instead. "Okay…you don't have to tell me. I was just trying to make conversation."

Guilt immediately engulfed me at his crestfallen expression as he moved to unmute the TV and my hand shot out before I could stop it, grabbing his to stop him. He froze, glancing over at me hesitantly and then down at our hands. My eyes closed as I revelled in the static electricity coursing through us. It made every single hair on my body stand on end and my heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest. It was that loud I was thoroughly convinced he could hear it with his simple human ears.

My eyes snapped open when he flipped his hand palm up, brushing it against my own. I looked over at him, seeing him watch our hands with wonder and confusion. Abruptly, his gaze caught mine and I was stunned in place by the mixture of emotion passing through his eyes, none of which I could identify right now. I swallowed hard, getting ready to pull my hand away as to not freak him out anymore when his voice permeated the air, making me freeze all over again.

"What are you doing to me?" he whispered and I'm pretty sure I wasn't supposed to hear it and yet, unable to stop answering him.

"You do the same to me." I whispered back, making him snap his wide gaze to mine with shock and surprise. I blushed, surprised that I'd said that but not regretting it at all.

Suddenly, his hand snatched away from mine as he looked away, flustered. His heart sounded like a jackhammer against his chest and I wondered if he was going to go into some sort of cardiac arrest. I panicked slightly as I didn't want him to pull away from me, closing himself off from me because I was such an idiot and my brain filter decided to take an extended vacation to the Bahamas without giving me any notice.

I opened my mouth to speak but he beat me to it, making me jump embarrassingly. "So, you were going to tell me about yourself. Please…"

"R-right…Oh, um…okay…Well, I'm eighteen and a senior at school." I told him, shrugging. He chuckled.

"Yeah, I kinda figured that out with seeing you in the same classes as me at school. And your mom already told me that anyway." He replied, smirking. I blushed and nodded.

"Um…I don't know what to say. What do you want to know?" I asked, flustered. He stared at me for a long time.

"Whatever you want to tell me, I guess." He shrugged.

I nodded but didn't say anything, not knowing where to start. He waited patiently until it became too long and he sighed, shrugging once again.

"Okay, you don't have to, really. Forget I asked. Just tell me to fuck off if I'm being nosy." He told me, turning back to the TV and unmuting it. I swallowed hard before taking the remote out of his hands and re-muting it. He looked at me surprised. I smiled.

"I was just thinking of where to start. Just…give me a minute, okay?" he nodded and did just that. "Okay, so…did you know that Leah's my twin?"

"Actually, no. I didn't know that. You seem so much younger than her." He replied, thoughtfully. The worried expression on my face must have lead him to explain further because I had no idea what he meant by that. "Well, because she's so serious and mature. I mean, not saying that you're immature or anything, because you're not. I would never say…What I'm saying is that you're more carefree and laid back than her?"

I smirked at him as his nervousness and embarrassment seeped into his own speech and found it incredibly cute. "Now who's acting like the other's going to bite?" I teased, making the both of us laugh. The tension eased considerably. "No, I know what you mean. Leah has always been that way. Well, no, that's not correct. She's been like that since Sam imp- dumped her for her cousin, Emily Young."

"Sam?" he asked, blankly. I nodded, confused by his changed demeanour. His eyes narrowed and he looked away. "I don't want to talk about him. Or his brother. Or his father. Don't bring them up again, please?"

I stared at him, utterly perplexed until everything clicked and I stuttered over an apology. "O-Oh my God, yeah, sorry. I-I won't bring them up again. Sorry."

"Yep…As you were saying though."

"Right, um…_he_ dumped my sister for our cousin and it turned Leah a little bitter and stuff so she grew up a lot. I still like the simple things in life. Sleeping. Running. A good laugh. Mom's cookies." I added, chuckling. A shadow crept across his face but he smiled as well. I realised that I'd mentioned my mom…he hadn't had the chance to try his mom's cookies. Fuck. "I mean…forget that last one."

"No, no, I know what you mean. Sue's cookies are the best. I can't sort of remember how my grandmother's tasted. Kind of. I knew they were good, at least."

"Cool. Maybe I can encourage mom to bring some around for you."

"Doesn't have to be your mom. I wouldn't mind if you brought them." He mumbled and again, I'm pretty sure I wasn't supposed to hear it. This time, I played it that way.

"What was that?" I asked, smiling slightly as he blushed, cutely. He swallowed hard.

"Oh, nothing. I didn't say anything, really." He spluttered. I nodded.

It was at this point where we welcomed the appearance of Paul, carrying in two plates of sandwiches, one piled higher than the other of which he handed to me. I thanked him, choosing to ignore his meaningful smirk and wink. He'd heard our whole conversation and stayed in the kitchen to make sure that we'd had it. Damn it, just what I needed. Paul left to get his own plate before coming back in and sitting in the recliner in the corner.

"Cheers Paul." Chris mumbled before digging in with one hand. I was half tempted to hold the sandwich to his mouth, so he wouldn't have to do anything but I refrained, eating my own sandwiches a lot slower than I would have normally. It was like being in his presence made me hyperaware of what I was doing, to please him and not scare him away.

"So what did the doctor say about your hand, Chris?" Paul asked, eyeing the bandage worriedly. Chris shrugged.

"I need to go back in two weeks for them to check it over and shit but until then, I just need to clean it once or twice a day." He replied, nonchalantly. Paul nodded.

"I still can't believe you did tha-"

We were interrupted by a knock at the door and I tensed, sensing who it was immediately, or three someone's. I glanced at Paul, who was glaring at the front door from his seat. Chris rose to his feet, sighing as he made his way over to the door.

"Prepare yourself this isn't going to be pretty." He called over his shoulder, as if he knew exactly who was on the other side of that door like we did. it was like he was expecting them, to an extent.

I bit my lip as he opened the door, hoping that this wasn't going to go belly up and upset Chris again. That's the last thing he needed. I just wish that they'd leave him alone.

"Hello Chris. May we come in?"

* * *

**Yeah, so I bet you know who's at the door. I didn't really make it a massive secret. How did you like Chris and Seth's interactions? I love writing them two! I hope you enjoyed the chapter, hopefully enough to leave a little review if you wish **

**Thanks for reading**

**Love,  
****MrsWolfPack  
****x**


	11. Teasing

**Hey, hey, my lovelies!**

**I know, I know! It's been soo long! I am so sorry! But I wanted to get A Wolf's Embrace finished and it's sequel on its feet. Please, forgive me. I'll be updating Pawprints in the Sky soon as well, hopefully so bear with me. Again, I'm so sorry!**

**Thank you to all who have stuck with this and for being so patient. Please review!**

**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN TWILGIHT! UNFORTUNATELY…D:**

**Without further ado…Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 10**

**Teasing**

* * *

**Chris' Point of View**

I stood in my front doorway, staring blankly at the three men stood before me on the porch. My insides quivered with unexpressed anger and I wanted nothing more than to release onto them. All the years of abandonment and loneliness that his absence caused had me swallowing convulsively against the expletives and profanities that were dying to be thrown his way. The nerve of him showing up here, on my door step. What? Did expect forgiveness? That easily? Never. I'll never forgive him.

"I suggest you get the fuck off my porch, before we have a repeat of the beech incident, _Josh_." I almost growled, glaring at him. He stood firm, holding his hands up to silence the two either side of him as they growled at my comment.

"Please, Chris, I simply wish to talk. Five minutes, that's all I ask." Josh pleaded, pathetically.

"You want five minutes of my time even though you haven't bothered with the last 17?" I asked, incredulously. His face fell into darkness with something that resembled shame and remorse. Only, I knew that he'd never feel that. He couldn't.

"Please, I'll explain everything. Just give me five minutes." He asked again, lowly. I stared at him, blankly as he looked at the wood beneath his feet. My 'brothers' stared at me though, not quite glaring but not blank either. Was that curiosity? They had no right to be curious about me.

"I won't ask you again." I repeated, flatly.

"Please-"

"NO! Get the fuck off my porch before i throw you off it!" I snarled, taking a step forward, threateningly. Sam and Embry growled, stepping forward as a mirror to my actions. They could go fuck themselves.

I felt two hands on my shoulders and I straightened up from the crouch I hadn't even realised I'd bowed into. I glared for a second longer before glancing either side of me. Paul stood to my right, glaring at the three men in my doorway as Seth stared at me, sadness in his eyes that could rival my own. My heart clenched at the sight. Something so happy should look so…_sad_. He squeezed my shoulder and I couldn't help but lift my hand to rest on top of his. He smiled slightly but brightly before looking at my 'family' with a frown.

"Guys, come on, what you doing?" Seth asked, incredulous and slightly irritated. Embry glared at him.

"Stay the fuck out of this, Seth. This is between us and our brother." He snapped, making Seth flinch at his tone and then growl. My felt my own anger flowing through me at his words and tone. How dare he speak to Seth like that!

"Oh hell no! You can come here. You can harass me like fucking stalkers. Fuck, you could even growl and glare and snarl at me. But you will _never_ look at Seth in the wrong way or else I will fuck you up so hard your fucking mothers will be able to feel it in their wombs. Now, get the fuck off my porch. None of you are welcome here. None of you will _ever_ be welcome here and as soon as you imprint that into your very fucking small minds, the better off we'll all be. Fuck off!" I growled, like, really growled this time and I could feel my body shaking with my anger. This has never happened before and the looks on their faces told me that they were shocked and freaked out by me too. I heard a gasp behind me and saw Seth staring at me wide eyed, as if he was afraid of me.

Something like an ice cold bucket of water was launched over me, in my heart and mind and the trembling stopped abruptly. The look on his face; it made my heart ache. He shouldn't be scared of me. There were so many people who were but never would I want Seth to be one on those people. He shouldn't fear anyone.

"That's it. I warned you, Josh. I fucking warned you. Get the fuck of this property before I call Charlie. I _will_ make him arrest you for trespassing. Get the fuck out of here. Can't you see what you're doing? Does he look remotely ready to play happy families? Fuck, he only found out a short while ago that you're his Dad and he has two fucking brothers. Give him some time to sort his fucking head out." Paul shouted, pushing past me and forcing me behind him as if to protect me. Seth stepped behind me, wrapping his arms around my neck so that his hands splayed out on my chest. Also a sign of protection.

Slight trembles coursed through me every so often as my brother, my _real_ brother, Paul glared silently at the three giving as much as they received from him. Seth's arms tightened around me with every tremor that surged through me and every time, the anger was replaced with something else…something _good_. Was that…contentment? Happiness? Fucking _desire_? What the fuck, Chris?

"You're right…You're absolutely right, Paul. We're sorry. We didn't mean to push him but…I've waited for so long-"

"Stop fucking bullshitting, you son of a bitch. If you've waited this long, what stopped you from coming to me sooner? Why the fuck did you turn me away when my Grandmother died when I was seven? I wasn't good enough then, what's changed now?" I snarled in his direction, fighting against Seth's arms slightly in my anger. I froze however when his lips appeared at my ear.

"Chris, Baby, please, calm down. You'll hurt yourself. Please?" he pleaded, softly. I bit back a gasp and shudder as his warm breath coursed down my neck, infiltrating the collar of my shirt tow arm the rest of me. I swallowed hard, closing my eyes as I nodded. I couldn't do this anymore. They needed to leave. "That's it. Just relax."

I hadn't realised that id relaxed into him until he burrowed his face in my neck, sending an involuntary shiver through me at the action. His arms tightened around me as he pulled me tighter to his chest.

"I will explain myself, Chris. I promise you that but I've done enough damage for one night. When you're ready to talk just…come find me. Anytime, anywhere and we'll talk, okay?" Josh told me, slightly begging. I stayed silently with my eyes closed but the swoosh of the door and the abrupt cut off of the breeze told me someone had closed the door.

"Take him into the living room. I need to call Jake. You gonna be alright with him?" Paul asked and I assumed he was speaking to Seth. I felt him nod into my neck, murmuring his confirmation. Then I was being led towards the living room. I kept my eyes closed, letting him guide me. Funny, it almost felt like I trusted him. Did I…trust him? The question sent a jolt of surprise through me as I realised that, yes, I did trust him. When the fuck had that happened?

"Shh, Chris, I got you. Just calm down for me, yeah?" Seth's warm, soothing voice whispered into my ear and I was shocked to find that I had to fight off a shiver at its sound. I felt the couch cushions at the back of my knees and slowly, Seth guided me down onto it, instantly taking the seat beside me without ever taking his hands away from me. My eyes were still closed as I flopped my head back against the couch, suddenly exhausted. Seth's hand began to stroke down my arm in a soothing gesture and fuck, it was working. His other arm extended across the back of the couch behind my head.

Exhaustion finally got the better of me and I felt my mind succumb to sleep under Seth's close, careful watch.

**Paul's Point of View**

Fuck. Shit! Fucking shit! This can't be happening! No one else was supposed to phase now that the leech 'family' had moved on. Why Chris? He came for a fresh start and all he's received is more grief in his already tortured life. As his big brother, I felt the need to protect him and what a piss poor job I'm doing if he's one flare of anger away from exploding! It wasn't fair, especially not fair on Chris. He didn't deserve this. He was going to think of himself as an even bigger monster now, more dangerous, I just knew it. All the progress he's made is going to wash down the fucking drain.

"Hello?" Jacob's curious, slightly groggy voice asked from the phone after he'd picked up after two three rings.

"Jacob, what the fuck, are you sleeping?" I asked, incredulously as I glanced at the clock. It wasn't even 10 yet.

"Piss off, Paul. I'm with Bella. What's up?" he asked, irritated. I sighed as reality crashed back around me.

"Chris is on the verge of phasing." I stated bluntly, greeted by a heavy silence from his end. I couldn't even hear him breathing. A few seconds of silence passed before Jacob's loud exclamation rattled my ear drum.

"What the fuck? How? When? Why?" he shouted over a small yelp and the rustling of sheets in the background. His heavy footfalls on the hardwood of his room sounded panicked.

"Calm down, Jake. I said on the verge, not that he is." I tried to tell him but he was muttering under his breath, cursing out the Cullens for causing trouble even from Alaska. "Jake!"

"What?" he huffed, startled and annoyed.

"Chris is fine at the minute, okay? I actually think he's sleeping. Seth's with him. He's still human but he was shaking really bad, nearly phasing in his front door." I informed him, worriedly. The rustling stop0ped on the other end and I heard Bella ask what the problem was, her own worry over Jacob's panic showing in her voice. He quickly repeated what I'd said to him and she gasped as he addressed me again.

"You're sure? He's okay? No fursploding tonight? Do you need me to come over or not?" he asked, anxiously. I nodded but then realised he couldn't see that.

"Yeah, he's sleeping. I can see him from here. Dude, he looks exhausted but no, he's fine. Seth's got everything under control so there's no need to come over." I sighed, shaking my head as I watched Seth watch his imprint with a small smile on his face, only frowning when a small one crept onto Chris' face.

"What the fuck happened? Why was he shaking?" Jake asked, suddenly angry. I had the feeling he already knew the gist of it. I sighed, angrily.

"Fucking Josh and his fucking sons. They7 won't give him a break and Chris reached his breaking point tonight. I need them to give him space to think this shit out or else he's gonna phase where he really ought not to be." I expressed, concerned and irritated. Jacob growled.

"I _told_ them to give him a wide berth. For fuck's sake Josh." He snarled, angrily. I stayed silent. "Don't worry, Paul, I'll talk to them, even if I have to order Sam and Embry. They shouldn't be hounding him; they should know how that feels and how he feels right now. Don't worry about."

"Alright, Jake. Well I'll let you get back to Bella. See you."

"Yeah, keep me updated. See ya." He replied before hanging up the phone. I sighed and replaced the receiver back on its latch, tonight's drama catching up on me.

Seth looked up briefly as I entered the living room again silently. I sighed at the sight of my little brother passed out on his couch and knew that if I saw Sam or Embry in the next 24 hours, I would rip them a new one. How dare they upset him/ I warned them damn it! Seth frowned up at me, worriedly.

"Do you need to step out? You're shaking pretty bad." He asked, calmly. I looked down at my hands, realising that I was but hadn't been aware. I sighed and felt the tremors ease up. Seth sighed and looked back down at his imprint. We both watched him for a long time before I got to my feet.

"You want a beer? Sandwich?" I asked but Seth just shook his head, never taking his eyes from Chris' face. I nodded and went to get something to eat and drink. I sat at the island counter, devouring half a dozen sandwiches and a bottle of beer. My mind was racing with everything that happened today and I was going to have to phase soon otherwise I was going to explode right in Chris' kitchen.

My head snapped up as a knock rapped against the door and I almost growled, thinking that one of the three fucks had come back to harass my brother some more. I marched over to the door, yanking it open angrily. I started when I saw my wife stood on the other wise and without so much as a hello, she pushed passed me, rushing into the living room where Chris still remained. She almost crashed down next to him, the opposite side to Seth, with her face marred with worry. I closed the front door and followed, slowly.

At the abrupt dipping of the sofa cushions, Chris startled awake, jerking into an upright position as he scanned the room. Seth reached forward, placing a hand on his chest to calm him and I took a step forward in concern. Rachel was almost crying but I was chalking that up to hormones or some shit.

"Wha-? What's up?" he asked, groggily. Rachel pulled him into a massive hug, almost squeezing the life out of him. He hesitantly hugged her back and despite the situation, I felt pride race through me at his ability to give more displays of affection lately.

"Oh god, Chris! I just heard! How are you? What about your hand? Oh my God, Josh and guys didn't do that did they? I will kick them in the balls if they did. How dare they! My little brother-" Rachel ranted, her anger increasing with every word she spoke, or shouted. Chris' eyes widened until he reached forward to take her hands in his, calming her slightly.

"Rach, seriously, take a breath and calm down, okay? It's not good for the baby. I'm fine, okay? I was just pissed off and don't worry about the hand. I did it at the shop earlier. Just burned. It'll heal." He rushed to reassure her, still holding onto her hands.

She stared at him for a good minute before suddenly bursting out into tears and falling into him. Chris' eyes widened and he looked like a deer caught in headlights as he attempted to calm down and hold my crying imprint. I should have been chomping at the bit to take her from him and calm her down myself but I wasn't, not really. Yeah, sure, I was worried as fuck but both my wolf and I knew that she was capable in Chris' arms, despite the fact that _he_ didn't seem to think so.

"Rach, it's, uh, okay. Don't cry. God, don't cry. Paul, come on." He whined, sending a pleading look my way. I shook my head, smirking as I sat in the armchair opposite him. Seth held in a chuckle as he watched the two and Chris sighed, glaring at the both of us before falling into his duty. He wrapped his arms back around Rachel before pulling her head into his chest. One of his hands subconsciously slid down to lay on her swollen stomach and more pride coursed through me. "Rachel, honestly, I'm perfectly fine. You really need to calm down; think about the baby."

"I'm just glad you're okay. Why didn't you call me earlier?" she sobbed, sniffling into his chest. He sighed.

"I'm sorry. I just…I was distracted, what with the hospital and Paul using my bike, like, I dunno, a stunt bike or some shit. Just so you know, he's never riding it again." He informed her, glaring at me. Seth and I chuckled. "Honestly, I was thinking about letting him ride this new quad bike I was getting but he destroyed all chance of that today."

Both mine and Seth's eyes widened. Mine in excitement and his in horror. I gave a shout of joy whilst he let out a sigh and groan. Rachel laughed finally as she heard us before grinning up at Chris.

"You're getting a quad bike?" both Seth and I shouted in excitement and worry. Chris grinned over at us.

"Hell yeah, I've always wanted one. There's loads of forests and clearings and shit around her too so it's the perfect place to ride one." he replied before smirking at me. "But then, you're not riding it anyway so you'll never get to know, huh?"

I gaped at him. "What? Oh come on, Chris! It was a joke! You don't really think I'd hurt the bike, do you?" I asked, incredulously. He shrugged before smiling down at Rachel, who was wiping her face on her sleeve. He reached over and did it for her, shaking his head.

"You and your hormones, Woman." He teased, making her blush. He chuckled.

"Oh, hello, quad bike. Buying one. Dangerous. No!" Seth shouted, horrified. Chris' gaze snapped to him, looking at him as if he'd grown a second head.

"I think we've established that I like danger, Seth." He chuckled but Seth looked even more horrified at the statement. Chris sighed. "Don't worry so much, Seth. I'll be fine."

"But what if you crash? What if you fall off?" he asked, worriedly. Chris rolled his eyes but didn't comment to him.

"How's about a movie? We could order Chinese too." Chris suggested, looking at me and Rachel. Seth crossed his arms and glared at his imprint, who was effectively ignoring him. I nodded.

"I'm choosing the movie." I exclaimed, glancing at Rachel. The way she'd been all morning, she'd end up choosing a chick flick.

"Oh my God, Chinese sounds soo good right now!" Rachel moaned, biting her lip. God, that woman is going to kill me one of these days. She knows what that does to me. Fuck, it's the whole reason why she's even pregnant!

She rushed off towards the kitchen to find a take-out menu and order anything and everything that she'd possibly want. Seth was sulking on the couch as Chris continued to ignore him and I made my way over to the DVD collection he had spanning over an entire wall of his living room. His collection was mental. Who has this many DVDs/ Chris apparently. The boy needs to get out more, I swear. I decided on 'The Expendibles' as I knew that Rachel would love it because it had that guys from the Transporter movies in it. Chris grinned at my choice of movie. And Seth was still sulking.

"Oh, come on, Pretty Boy. Stop sulking." I teased in a baby voice. He flipped me the bird. Chris laughed.

"Okay, I ordered one of everything, Alright?" Rachel asked, grinning as she came back into the living room. She sank into the cushions next to Chris and I took her other side, sandwiching her comfortably in between us. She smiled up at me and I leaned in for a kiss.

"That's perfectly fine."

"Are we really going to eat that much?" Chris asked, incredulously. I cocked an eyebrow at him.

"Dude, how many times have you been around ours or here even, whilst I've been eating?" I asked, chuckling. He stared at me for a second before rolling his eyes, smirking.

"Okay, I guess you're right." He laughed, turning his attention to the screen as the movie started. Rachel squealed as she realised what we were watching and I rolled my eyes, tightening my arms around her. Fucking Transporter dude's a pain in my ass.

**Seth's Point of View**

He was so close I could practically touch him but I was afraid that it would freak him out and he'll push me away like a freak. I didn't want to push him. I wanted him to like me, to be his friend but…I was afraid. Call me a pussy, a wimp, a whatever, I don't care but this was my imprint I was talking about. I couldn't just jump straight into this, especially when said imprint was fucking damaged to shit.

I tried to keep my eyes on the movie but they kept gravitating towards him. He seemed captured by the movie enough, his own eyes never leaving the screen. Paul and Rachel were wrapped up in their own little world and they weren't paying any attention the two of us, whispering in small voices that even I couldn't hear. I felt envy shoot through me as I wanted to be where they were; I wanted Chris to hold me like Paul was Rachel. Well, obviously not with his hand on my bloated stomach but you get the point. I wanted that loving embrace from my imprint. I knew by just the mere thought of it that it would feel so fucking good.

My mind cast back to the electric current the surged between us earlier, numerous times. Would it feel like that every time we touched? It was so addictive and I couldn't wait for more skin to skin contact with him. I wanted it right now but I was a coward. Why couldn't I just move my hand over to the one that rested on his lap and curl my fingers around it?

I was startled out of my thoughts when the doorbell rang. Rachel jumped, looking over at the door as Paul chuckled at her. She slapped his chest and I hopped to my feet, hastily.

"I'll get it!" I exclaimed a little louder than what was necessary and the others looked at me weirdly, except Paul, who was smirking at me. I glared at him before taking the money Rachel was offering to me and moving to pay for the food. I could feel Chris' eyes on me until I disappeared from his views and even then…

I quickly paid for the take out, shutting the door behind me as I made my way over to the kitchen. I started at the door however when I saw Chris walking around it, pulling out plates and cutlery, concentrating solely on his job. Only when he caught a glimpse of e in the doorway did he glance up at me with a smile. My heart warmed at the sight and my frozen body thawed. I moved over to the island counter, my eyes never really leaving him as I took the containers out the bag and set them on the counter.

We worked in silence serving the food onto fur individual plates, giving all of us a bit of everything. We'd brush arms occasionally but he recovered from the electrical surge that coursed between us a lot faster than I did. A couple of times, I even had to fight back a few whines.

"What do want to drink?" I asked him through a tight throat. He glanced over at me.

"Just a beer, thanks. Get Paul one too." He replied, smiling. I nodded.

"I want coffee!" Rachel called from the living room.

"No, she doesn't. She wants orange juice." Paul contradicted, followed by their rather loud heated disagreement. I caught Chris' gaze and rolled my eyes, smirking. He laughed and the tension suffocating the kitchen eased off a little. Chris smiled up at me and took the beers from my hands. Our fingers brushed and I had to close my eyes from the shock between us. My eyes opened and I couldn't help the gasp that escaped me when I saw he was staring right back at me.

We stood there still and silent as we stared at each other. His expression was open and curious and I could feel the anxiety and self-consciousness peak inside of me.

"You know…I'm trying to figure you out, Clearwater." His voice startled me and my eyes widened. Figure me out? What did that mean?

"Why? I don't understand." I stuttered, swallowing hard. He smiled.

"I've never met someone quite like you. Of course, I've met Jacob. You're a lot like him but there's something about you I can't quite put my finger on. What could that be?" he asked, musingly. I took a deep breath and shrugged, nervous under his rapt attention.

"Wh-what have you come up with so far?" I asked, glutton for punishment.

He smirked. "You're cute." He shrugged, nonchalantly and I felt my face heat up dramatically.

"I thought you said my habit was cute?" I asked. He chuckled.

"I thought you said that makes you cute?" he contradicted, smirking. I blushed harder and he laughed, picking up two plates of take out and two beers before leaving me standing like a prat in the middle of his kitchen with my mouth open.

He thinks I'm cute. I knew he said I was cute! He tried to deny it but I knew it! The feeling of pride and joy surfaced in me and I grinned widely. My imprint thinks I'm cute. Fuck yes!

"Are you coming in here to watch this or what?" Paul shouted from his seat.

I picked up the two remaining plates along with mine and Rachel's orange juices before rushing into the living room. Both Paul and Chris were smirking in their seats and Rachel was still rapt on the movie as her favourite actor was on the screen. I swallowed thickly before retaking my seat next to Chris. I placed Rachel's juice on the coffee table in front of her before leaning back into the couch. Chris was totally at ease next to me, as if the conversation we'd just shared hadn't happened. I hated his ability to brush things off with ease.

"Here." I said, handing him his plate. He flashed me a large grin before digging into his food, his eyes returning to the TV. I sighed and began to eat too, knowing that I couldn't endure much more of this tonight. All I wanted to do was hold him, or for him to hold me.

Paul sent me a smirk across the couch and all I could think about was…

_Fucking __lucky __bastard._

* * *

**Haha, lol at Seth's torture! How'd you like it?**

**Please review!**

**Sorry it's so short!**

**Love,  
****MrsWolfPack  
****X**


	12. Blast from the Past

**Hey, Hey, my lovelies!**

**Thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter and who has stuck with me for this long **** You're great!**

**It's a bit of a surprise for both me and you in this chapter. Certainly wasn't what I was expecting to write **

**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN TWILIGHT! UNFORTUNATELY…D:**

**Without further ado…Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 11**

**Blast from the Past**

* * *

**Chris' Point of View**

A couple of weeks passed after that night my 'father' and 'brothers' gate crashed my house. Thankfully, I haven't heard from them since but that didn't mean they were constantly watching me. Whenever I went to the beach with Paul, Seth and their friends and the Elders, Josh was constantly staring at me as if he could place some sort of mind control shit on me. He may have been able to do that to Sam and Embry but not me. There was no way he, or them, were getting into my head, dictating what I was going to do with our 'situation' as Josh had no started to call it, according to Paul.

Embry's wife had a little boy. They name him Hector, God knows why though. Don't get me wrong, he's a cute kid from the minute glance I caught of him and from the picture Rachel brought home with her and I have nothing against the boy, just his father. I mean, I haven't even met his wife either. I don't even know her name. That's how disinterested in his and Sam's life I am. All that I cared about was the fact that Embry had come back to work at the garage. Not only did I have to deal with them around the Res but now, also at work. Fuck, I was almost begging to spend my whole time at school just to escape their fucking eyes.

Jacob had been keeping him in check for me but it wasn't working. I could feel his eyes on me for the entirety of our shift when I come after school and it was grating on my nerves. He needed to get a life or perhaps redirect the attention he seemed to be giving me to his new son. Paul had caught onto my increasing irritation towards my 'brother' as did Jake. He'd even taken to speaking with him in the break room at least twice a shift but nothing was working.

And something else that wasn't helping my irritation with most things lately was that I was fucking _hot_. Everything I did had me breaking out in an intense sweat and it was pissing me off. I didn't even sleep with a comforter _or_ pillows on my bed anymore, I was that hot. Just the other day, I had thrown a wrench at the wall because it was the wrong size to what I needed. Jacob had just played it off, telling me to take a break but I felt that there was something seriously wrong with me.

I saw the looks they were giving me, like they were waiting for something to happen. Rachel had also become very…_maternal_ almost. She flapped around me like a mother hen, as if she felt there was going to be something happening to me soon too. Josh has been looking at me with more concern every day this week and I just felt like everyone was talking about me all the time, even going as far as to hear people saying my name in the distance, or perhaps I was just imagining things. I wouldn't put it past me.

I was tired, pissed off, hungry and hot all the time, especially these past couple of days and it was affecting my concentration not only at work but at school. I wasn't able to tell you anything I'd been lectured this week. All I've been able to concentrate on was the pulsing inside my torso, as if something was building. It was freaking me out. I only hoped that it would pass soon, otherwise something was going to break, whether it is me, an object or someone's face.

"Chris? Hello, earth to Chris." Paul called, waving a hand in front of my face. My eyes snapped back into focus, seeing his and Rachel's concerned gaze on me. I tried to smile reassuringly across the dining table before looking back down at my plate. I hadn't really touched anything, despite how hungry I was. I saw Rachel eyeing my plate as well.

"Chris, what's up, Hun? You haven't eaten a thing." She sighed, pushing my plate towards me. I sighed and pushed it back, standing from the table.

"I need to get out of here. I'm too hot and I don't feel like eating at all. I'll see you guys later. I'll call if it gets too late, okay." I called behind me as I walked towards the door. I glanced at my jacket and then the sky. It was going to rain soon but I was so hot that I didn't doubt the rain would evaporate before it even touched my skin. I glanced once more at the jacket before shrugging and opening the door, snatching up my keys, iPod, Helmet and phone. Just as the front door shut behind me, Rachel and Paul called out to me, trying to get me to wait.

I walked briskly over to my bike, mounting it as I fixed my helmet in place. I inserted the key into the ignition but didn't start it just yet, reaching behind me for my riding gloves. I started pulling them on until I caught a glimpse of my hand. I frowned, still mesmerised at how fast the burn had healed on the palm of my hand. It healed a lot faster than I expected it to, or even faster than I'd ever healed before. But still, I wasn't complaining. The days after doing it was torture not being able to ride my bike. I was grateful to be able to now.

I pulled my gloves on the rest of the way before poising to start the ignition, kicking the stand off so I was on two wheels, when the front door open and Paul stepped out. I sighed, sitting back up in the bike and taking my hand off the ignition. I could hear the lecture coming before it even started.

"Chris, where are you going? Rachel's worried and we both think that you shouldn't be out on your own." He said, moving to stand in front of my front wheel. I sighed, cocking an eyebrow.

"Paul, I can take care of myself. What's going to get me out here? Big foot?" I asked, mockingly. He huffed a laugh.

"Something like that." He mumbled. I ignored him. "Seriously, it's not safe for you to be on your own right now, Chris."

"Paul, I'm not a little kid. Stop treating me like one. What's your problem?" I sighed, defensively. Paul could sense my growing annoyance and backed off a little.

"Nothing, Chris. We're just worried about you, is all." He replied, softly. I watched him for a minute before my eyes narrowed.

"You know what's going on with me, don't you?" I accused, guardedly as I watched his face harden, as if he was trying to keep from giving himself away. Little did he know that that's exactly what he did.

"No, of course not. We're just worried."

"Why are you worried? What reason do you have to be worried?" I asked, still watching. He hesitated.

"You're not eating."

"So, I'm not hungry."

"You're picking up a fever."

"So, you have one too. Don't think I haven't noticed it with all you guys."

"You're not sleeping very well."

"I live alone and have a lot on my mind. Sue me."  
"You're irritated all the time."

"That's because I have three assholes breathing down my neck and a douche of a brother who doesn't know when to leave things alone." I almost growled in defence. I was vaguely aware that I had called him my brother but right now, I didn't care to feel much about it. A smile crossed his face before he became serious again.

"Just please come back inside. Talk to us. Don't go out." he almost pleaded, which confused me. What the hell was he so worried about?

"You know what, sometimes, you baffle me Paul. Sorry, I need to ride." I replied, quickly switching on the ignition and revving the engine. He stood firm in front of my wheel. I glared. "Paul, dude, seriously, don't."

"Just come back inside." He said calmly. I sighed heavily.

"No, I want to ride. You're not my father; you can't tell me what to do. Fuck, my father can't tell me what to do so who are you to try?" I bit, angrily. I revved the engine again.

"Paul, just let him go." Rachel shouted from the porch with a blanket wrapped around her middle to fight of the chill.

"Rachel, go back inside." Both Paul and I replied, before glaring at each other. She sighed.

"Paul, if he wants to go, let him. We can't boss him around." She called calmly. Paul didn't move. I revved the engine. He still didn't move. I revved and started forwards but was jolted to a stop when he grabbed the handlebars. I growled.

"Let go."

"No, just come inside." He replied, as calm as day. I glared.

"Dude, seriously, I'm not in the fucking mood for this right now. Get the fuck out my way." I shouted, pushing against his hands. We stared at each other for the longest time before he sighed, letting his fall slack from the handlebars before stepping to the side. I revved the engine and without another glance back, I peeled away from the Meraz house, pissed and fucking _hot_.

I didn't know where I was driving to for a long tome but ended up at the beach parking lot. I sighed, looking out at the waves before shrugging. I dismounted my bike and took off my helmet, propping it up on the bike seat before moving towards the sand. On impulse, I took off my boots and socks, letting my bare feet hit the sand. I sighed at the feel of it and smiled slightly. Nothing beat this feeling. I walked up and down the beach for a few minutes, occasionally looking out at the ocean and James Island. It was pretty late, at least six in the evening but I didn't care. All I cared about was being with my own thoughts for a while.

Eventually, I flopped down into the sand, my feet in the small ocean drift as I sat with my knees bent, and my forearms resting on them. My head bowed a little as I peered out at the ocean some more, enjoying the breeze and the silence.

I had the feeling Paul knew what was going on with me. Hell, even Rachel. I knew without a doubt that Jacob did and Josh. The looks they gave me, it made it obvious. The fact that they hadn't told me about it yet just pissed me off. Well, I wouldn't have given Josh the chance but Jacob, I thought that maybe, in some small, infinitesimal way, we were friends. Kind of. I mean, I was too sunny for me but I didn't dislike the guy. Still, this was practically my health here. I expected him to tell me. Why were they hiding it? What was it?

I begged my head to get away from that subject matter. I didn't have the energy to think about it anymore and all it was going to do was piss me off some more. Instead, my thoughts drifted to someone else. Seth had become a constant in the Rachel, Paul and Chris trio now. The only reason why he wasn't at dinner this evening was because he had 'errands to run'. Whatever. I tried to tell myself that I wasn't disappointed he wasn't there but then…that was a lie.

I couldn't even believe the track my thoughts had taken with Seth. He was a great kid. Well, I suppose _I_ was the kid between us but not by much. But then, I was always more grown up than my years. I had grown up a fucking lot. Too much. I already felt like an old man that's seen two wars and the loss of his wife. I had my good days and bad days with this whirlwind of emotion and plaguing thoughts but there was one thing that was constant – Seth.

Even if I was having a bad day, he was there, trying to make conversation and jokes when I wasn't particularly interested. Even when I tell him to get lost, he stayed, ignoring me until he thought up his next joke. It was like he was trying to cheer me up but was failing miserably. I knew it; he knew it but he kept trying. Somehow, that meant more to me than I was willing to acknowledge or admit. Paul gave up trying to cheer me up after I'd thrown a glass at his head last week. That was a _bad_ day. He knew to steer clear now. I had the feeling that Seth wouldn't give up even if he'd been the one the glass had been aimed for, not that I could ever throw something at him. Seemed like sacrilege.

There was just one part of me, the part that was still very much alive from living my past as I did, that prevented me from truly getting to know Seth. I had gotten to know Molly and look how that turned out. Deep in my heart, I would never risk someone else like that again but my soul was begging me to acknowledge the obvious fondness he seemed to have for me, to embrace it. I just couldn't. it was detrimental to his health, even if it meant my unhappiness.

What would he do with a guy like me anyway? His days would be filled with the misery that always surrounded me and he would have to deal with my secret past because let's face it; there was no way I was corrupting and tainting such an amazing mind like Seth's. He didn't deserve those images. He was so much better than me, deserved someone who could make him smile and laugh with everything they said. He deserved to be loved, which I wasn't capable of giving him. He deserved someone with a future that was going somewhere, not a miserable mechanic that has no other prospects in life other than to crawl in a hole_. I_ didn't deserve _him_. Seth just didn't seem to get that though.

"Um…excuse me? We were looking for the Tyler household? We didn't want to disturb you but there's no one else on the streets right now and you're the first person we found." A pleasant, warm voice asked behind me. It was vaguely familiar but I could pin point from where. I nodded.

"Yeah, there's a storm about to hit. People tend to stay inside for those." I answered dryly before something struck me. Did she say _Tyler_ household? As in me? Why the fuck was she looking for me? Frowning, I turned around in curiosity, struck dumb by who was standing in front of me. My eyes widened and I shot to my feet in shock. They were frozen, staring at me as if I was phantom. I couldn't believe my eyes.

Stood right before me was my last foster family in its entirety, plus one. Makenna Marvin stared at me with tears in her eyes, wrapped in Scott's arm as he hooked a baby carrier in his other arm. Hayley stood behind him and Greg the other side of his mother. My heart was beating out my chest and my breathing had picked up drastically. I was dreaming. I was sure of it. What were they doing here? How the hell did they know where I was? The last incident that happened whilst I was with them shot through my head and I had to lower my gaze, suddenly unable to look at any of the in the eyes, especially Hayley.

"Chris? Sweetie is that you?" Makenna whispered, stepping forward slightly. I took a step back, afraid of hurting her somehow. She was too good to be in my immediate proximity. She stopped short but ducked her head, willing me to meet her gaze. I looked in the other direction, refusing. "Chris, Hon, it's us. Makenna, Scott, Hay-"

"I know who you are." I croaked and cringed at the tone of my voice. I didn't sound like me and my eyes prickled suddenly. "Wh-What are you- Why are you here? How did you find me? What-"

"We missed you, Son. We wanted to know how you were, how you were getting on with your life." Scott interrupted, stepping forwards with Makenna. Hayley and Greg stayed where they was, looking at me with wide eyes and wonder. I couldn't look at them. I swallowed reflexively.

"But why? Why now? You should go." I mumbled, turning away from them, back to the ocean.

"Like Scott said, Sweetie, we missed you. Why did you leave Chris? Why would you do that to yourself?" Makenna sighed, tearfully as she moved forwards again. I turned swiftly and held a hand up. She stopped.

"Don't, please? Just…stay away. I can't…I can't believe you're here. How?" I asked, brokenly.

"We phoned the orphanage that we were sent back to after a few months without you at home but they said that you didn't want to talk to us and then you emancipated yourself. We missed you, I missed you, Chris. I wanted you back. I practically begged mom and dad to help me find you. Greg missed annoying you." Hayley's sweet voice replied and I shut my eyes against it, blocking it out. She shouldn't even be near me, let alone speaking to me. She was too good. Too good! I was bad; I'd corrupt her.

_You know you will. You should tell them to leave_. My inner voice chanted, angrily.

"You need to leave. You shouldn't be around me. Please, just…go back home. Forget about me, please?" I pleaded, backing away slightly. I felt the water at my heels and glanced back.

"We're not leaving, Chris. It took so long to find you but we did!" Greg exclaimed, walking forward. I scrambled back.

"No! Don't come any closer. You'll get hurt." I croaked. Makenna shook her head, tears falling from her eyes.

"Chris, Honey, no we won't….What have you been through?" she whispered to herself and I was pretty sure that I wasn't supposed to hear her.

"You really shouldn't be here." I whispered, closing my eyes and wishing them away. Someone approached me, laying their hand on my arm and my eyes snapped open. Then I was staring into pools of deep brown and a smile that was aimed at me. Hayley stood next to me, as calm as can be, despite the condition she last saw me in. I gulped loudly, trying to back away from her but she wouldn't allow it.

"We're not afraid of you, Chris. It's our choice to be here so you can't send us away. We just wanted to see you, tell you that we miss you." She told me, softly. I shook my head. "I missed you, big brother."

My throat closed up at her endearment and my eyes drifted shut as she moved into wrap her arms around my waist. I was still as a plank of wood, not knowing how to act with her, in case I hurt her. She hugged me tightly, not willing to let go. Greg rushed up and joined in and jolting the both of us a little. To my surprise, he started crying. When I was ten, I wouldn't be caught dead crying but then, my circumstances were different to his. He wasn't disheartened to show any emotion.

"Chris?" Paul's voice shouted up the beach and my head snapped to look at him jogging towards us, glancing at the family in front of me with curiosity and guardedness. Hayley and Greg reluctantly pulled away to allow Paul at me, who pulled me into his own, tighter hug. I sighed and leaned into him, glad for some familiarity in this whirlwind of surprise and shock. He pulled back and assessed me critically. I smiled at him slightly, hoping to be reassuring but I doubt that I was. His eyes narrowed then and he turned on the family standing a little ways away, keeping his arm securely around my shoulder. "I don't' mean to be rude, but who the hell are you?"

Scott stepped forwards and offered Paul his hand. "I'm Scott–"

"Marvin. Scott Marvin." I murmured into Paul's arm, still shell shocked that they were even here, that they had found me. Paul tensed beside me as he peered down at me in confusion. I nodded, knowing where his thoughts were but he had to ask just to make sure.

"Marvin? As in your last foster family Marvin?" he asked, shocked. I nodded, refusing to meet the other's gaze.

"He told you about us?" Makenna asked, surprised. Paul turned back to her and I felt him nod.

"Yeah…I know everything about his past. I'm the only one here who does, apart from my wife." He explained, hesitantly as if he didn't know whether he should tell them this.

"Everything?" Hayley asked, concerned. I nodded. "Wow, okay…"

"He's become like a little brother to me and my wife. A good friend to our friends as well." Paul continued, glancing own at me. I just wanted to get out of here. As if sensing my thoughts, Paul said, "We should get out of here. It's about to storm and I don't really wanna be caught up in it."

No one said anything but we silently made our way back to the parking lot. Paul was still fixing me to his side, protectively with an arm around my shoulder. The Marvins moved over to their car and hopped in. I was vaguely aware of Makenna securing that same baby carrier into the back seat. When did she have another baby? Paul led me over to his truck but I paused.

"What is it?" he asked, confused. I looked over at my bike. "No, no way. You're not riding. I shouldn't have even let you go in the first place. I'll put it in the bed. Just get in the car."

I sighed but nodded, not having the energy to argue with him. I watched from the cab of his truck as he wheeled the bike to the back, helmet hooked on his arm. The Marvins were watching curiously from their car and quickly looked away when Makenna waved at me. Paul hopped into the truck a few minutes of silence later and as he started the truck, he waved for the others to follow him. I almost wanted to be angry with him for giving them a reason to stick around but I'd be lying if a part of me didn't want them to. I had missed them as much as they'd missed me. But they could still get hurt…

We pulled up to my house and I frowned over at Paul. He smirked at me. "Rach wanted you to be comfortable when you got home so we came over here before I came to get you." He explained, turning off the engine before popping open his door and stepping out into the light drizzle of rain. I hesitated before getting out, unsure of how this was going to go down but I did a minute later, shutting my door loudly. Rachel's face appeared in the living room window and I waved at her. I could see the relief clear as day on her face.

"Wow, is this your house?" Greg asked Paul, staring up at the big house in front of him. I smiled and Paul shook his head.

"Nah, this is Chris'." He replied, walking towards it. I followed after him.

"Chris'? Why would you need such a big house?" Scott asked, perplexed. I shrugged, not answering him any other way.

"Chris, thank God. You've been out for ages." Rachel scolded as she pulled me into a hug. I sighed and melted into her, still surprised how she and Paul would disarm my whole defence system with one hug. "Don't you do that to me again!"

"I'm sorry, Rach." I mumble, apologetically. She glared before smiling, nodding once in satisfaction. Then she caught sight of the others walking through the door at Paul's invitation behind me. I tensed.

"Oh, who's this?" she asked, smiling welcomingly but also shooting Paul a cautious but curious glance. He sighed.

"These are the Marvins. Just a family from Chris' past." He explained, gesturing them into the living room.

"Why are they here?" she asked, suspiciously as her grip on me subconsciously tightened around me, protectively. I smiled slightly.

"I don't know. I just found Chris with them. What _are_ they doing here?" Paul asked, confused. I shrugged.

"They said they missed me but who knows. I don't want them here, Paul. Please send them away?" I pleaded, not having the energy to talk with them.

"Why don't you just hear what they've got to say. Maybe they're just passing through?" Rachel suggested, gently.

"Who 'just passes through' La Push? It's so far out the way." I scoffed, shaking my head. She shrugged.

"I still think you should talk to them." She repeated, calmly.

"I can't. It just…brings up so many memories that I want to forget. I don't want them here; make them leave, please?"

"No, I think you need this, Chris. Even if you don't talk to them tonight, let them stay and talk tomorrow or the next." Rachel said, stroking my arm. I shook my head.

"Fine, but not tonight. I'm too tired." I sighed, exhaustedly. She nodded in understanding.

"Okay then, I'll go tell them. Can they stay in the guest rooms?" She asked, unsure of my reaction.

I hesitated, weighing the pros and cons of having my ex-foster family sleeping down the hall from me. I really didn't want them here, where I could potentially hurt them but then, having them here was kinda nice, like a blast from the past, one of the very few good ones I could possibly have. Did I really want to send them away with the risk of never seeing them again, without telling them how much I appreciate everything that they did for me? Could I let Hayley leave without...apologising? And Greg, he was crushed when I left last time. He'd probably end up hating me if I was the one sending him away. Maybe deep down I knew that would be a good thing, the more he hated me the I was less likely to be around him and therefore, hurt him but my heart didn't want him hating me.

"Chris?" Paul brought me back to the present. They were both looking at me expectantly. I shrugged.

"I dunno. What if they already sorted something out?" I mumbled reluctantly. Rach smiled.

"Well, that'll be that but can I offer? Would you mind?" she asked. I nodded, reluctantly. I couldn't expect them to drive out in the storm brewing outside. "Okay...Well, I'll see you tomorrow. Try to get some rest, yeah?"  
I leaned down so that she could kiss my forehead, something I was still growing accustomed to, before she left the room. I blocked out her conversation with my ex-foster family, fixing my gaze intently on the marble of the kitchen work top. I was vaguely aware of Paul still standing in the room as well as his intense gaze on the back of my head. I prayed that his heavy footfalls were walking away from me rather than towards but my prayers were set aside when I felt his hand rest on my shoulder. I tensed slightly but he moved closer still, guiding me to st on a stool at the island before taking the one next to me. I fixed my gaze on my hands in my lap, unable to meet his gaze.

"Talk to me." Paul ordered, calm but in a tone that left no room for arguments. I sighed, my head dropping lower. He pushed my forehead gently, coaxing me to look up and meet his gaze but I couldn't. "Come on, Man, stop this. Your family comes back and suddenly yu can't talk to me anymore, what's up with that? It's just me and you, come on."

"They shouldn't be here." I sighed, reluctantly. I knew he wasn't going to drop this. I might as well cooperate, especially if I wanted any sleep tonight.

"Why? Did they do something to you when you were with them or...?" he trailed off, leaving me to fill in the blank. My eyes widened and I finally looked up at him, shaking my head vigorously.

"God no! They were...great. The nicest foster parents I've had in my life, by far." I murmured, lowly. Paul shrugged, confused.

"Then what? If they were so great, why do you want them to leave?" he asked, gently. I sighed.

"I...I don't..."

"Go on. It's just you and me, just us, come on." Paul encourage, patting my shoulder. I looked up at him.

"I don't want to hurt them." I whispered, chokingly. Paul frowned, confused and probably disturbed by my answer. I looked back down at the floor, awaiting his reaction.

"That's it? Wait, why would you hurt them? I don't understand." he sighed, not frustrated with me per se but with himself for not understanding me. I shrugged.

"Everyone I'm around gets hurt one way or another." I mumbled. I glanced up at Paul's face to see understanding finally flash across his face. I looked back down and let the silence grow between us. Then he finally sighed again, heavily.

"Chris...such an idiot." he whispered more to himself. I left the comment alone, knowing I wasn't supposed to hear it. "Chris, listen to me, you do not hurt everything you come into contact with."

I snorted. "Really? Yeah, right. Come on, Paul, don't lie to me. I know what I'm like. I destroy everything I get my hands on." I groaned, lowly. He shook his head and climbed to his feet, exasperated.

"So what about me and Rach? You've become like a little brother to the both of us but we're not crumpling to the floor in pain. The only way we'd get hurt in regards to you is if you were to leave without telling us,, well no, to leave at all and if _you_ were hurt in anyway. Fuck, I wouldn't even be hurt if we said some nasty things to each other that would otherwise be unforgivable but I know how you are. You say things in the heat of the moment which I know you'll come to regret when your head is on straight. I know you a lot better than you give me credit for, Chris.

"And I don't think you're capable of hurting them at all." he finished, resolutely. I looked at him doubtfully. "Don't look at me like that, okay? I see the way you look at them. It's like you owe them everything. And Hayley, I could practically feel the protective vibe coming off you in waves, Dude. There's no way in hell that you're capable of hurting her. I know what this comes down to Chris and that's all the loss you've seen in your past. Your parents, both your mom _and_ your dad, even though he's still here. Your grandmother. Molly and even the Marvins when you were sent back to the orphanage.

"It boils down to the self-doubt and worthlessness that you've developed for yourself in this absences but you're not alone anymore. You can't make those mistakes again, Chris because you have people around you who _care_. Fuck, even Josh and your brothers care to a degree, if they've gone through this much trouble to try and talk to you but let's not get into that, it'll only piss you off. You've changed, Chris. You're not that same guy who came here a few months ago.

"Stop living in the past and start thinking about the future, a part of which is sitting in the living room right now, anxiously waiting for a word from you. They drove here to see you because they _missed_ you, Chris. How many people from your past can you solidly say would make that trip for those reasons?" he asked, softly.

I stared at him. That's all I could do as my thoughts ran rampant in my mind. He posed good questions and spoke reasonable words, I had to admit. I had changed since coming here, even I could see that but had I changed all that much? Had I really lost the ability to destroy everything that I had. It took two years to destroy Molly. I hadn't even been here three months yet. There was still plenty of time to do the damage that I seemed to be the expert in.

I thought back to what Paul said about the only things hurting him would be me leaving or being hurt. I highly doubted that...but then, we'd grown so close in such a short time Paul _got_ me, he understood me better than anyone else has, ever. I've told him more about my past than even Makenna. I doubt if I wasn't capable from destroying anyone, it would be him and his wife, which will most probably extend to their kid, whenever he or she decides to graces us with its presence.

The future. He said to start thinking about my future. What future? Surely that was just a pipe dream now, wherever it would end up taking me? I could possibly amount to much, could I? Then there was that possibility of...(fuck it hurt even to think about)..._love,_ maybe. Who was I kidding? Who'd love me?

_Seth..._

My mind jolted with surprise as his face and name ghosted through my mind in response to that question but then that was out of the question. Seth was out of the question. I wouldn't let him that far in. he was someone that I would most probably hurt in the long run and I couldn't possibly do that, not to Seth. I shook my head, ridding myself of all thoughts regarding Seth, though it was harder than I thought it would be.

"Seth, dude, where did you go?" Paul's voice broke through my revelry and I looked up, startled. He frowned, concerned as he held my shoulder, comfortingly. "Hey, listen, I didn't mean to upset you. I just...I hate it when you put yourself down like this. You're so much more than what you give yourself credit for."

"But I'm not." I sighed. He chuckled.

"Like I said, more than you give yourself credit for...Head up to bed, Chris. Get some sleep; you look like you need it, Bro." he laughed, punching my arm. I groaned before glaring at him, which only made him grin back at me, satisfied with himself. His face turned thoughtful and he hesitated.

"Spit it out, Paul, I don't have all night." I teased, smirking.

"Why don't you say something to them? Perhaps reassure them that they aren't wasting their time, or something?" he suggested, lowly. My smirk dropped.

"You think I should?" I asked, regretfully. He nodded, sincerely. I sighed and climbed to my feet, sluggishly. "O-okay...fine."  
He smiled and nodded, silently following me towards the living room, where the Marvins and Rachel still sat around. The conversation hushed when they saw m and the grin on Makenna's face grew.

"Chris...Thank you for offering to put us up for the night. We came over here in a rush and didn't sort anywhere to go tonight so thank you. You saved us a lot of hassle." she said, smiling brightly. I'd gone the last year without that smile but I found that I missed it. A lot. I smiled back, slightly.

"Um, sure, don't mention it. Erm...i just, wanted to tell you that, uh, I'm going to hit the hay and I'll...uh, talk to you tomorrow...if you want." I spluttered, nervous about being near them. Scott grinned and Hayley and Greg nodded their heads, smiling also.

"That would be perfect, Son. You go ahead and get some rest. You look beat down." Scott replied, nodding. I nodded back, awkwardly before smiling at Rachel. She leaned up to give me a hug.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Little Bro." she said before pulling me down further so that she could whisper in my ear. "And I'm so proud of you. Now go, sleep."

"Alright. Night Rach, Paul...everyone." I tacked on, making my way to the stairs. I knew one thing for sure, I was going to hate getting up in the morning.

* * *

The scent of coffee permeating through my bedroom was what woke me in the morning and my eyes snapped open. I groaned, slamming them back shut again at the brightness of the room. Fuck, I bet I forgot to close my curtains last night. I was exhausted. Squinting my eyes, I threw the covers away from me, rubbing my eyes vigorously in an attempt to focus. I walked briskly over to the window and drew the curtains shut, feeling the immediate relief of my eyes. I stood in the middle of my room like an idiot, suddenly unable to think of what to do. Shower, need to shower.

I walked to the bathroom silently, half in my own world as I stood under the spray, the cold water like an electric shock but it felt so good against my overheated skin. I never thought it would be possible but I was even hotter this morning. It was ridiculous. I must have spent at least 20 minutes in the shower before I stepped out and dried myself, not that I had to do much. The heat evaporated all the water. I towel dried my hair as I trod back into my room, another towel wrapped around my waist. I opted for shorts and no t-shirt, which reminded me of how all the other guys and Paul dressed daily. I snorted to myself and pulled on a white tank top as well.

I seemed to be blissfully unaware up until the point I walked into the kitchen. I stopped dead in my tracks as I was presented with a sight that I'd thought I'd forgotten. Hell, I had seen up until a year and bit ago. Everyone across the room seemed to halt as well at my entrance and my gaze swept across them all. Kenna was stood by the double stove, flipping bacon on one hob and scrambling eggs on the other. Scott was pouring what I was sure to be his third or even fourth cup this morning. Hayley and Greg sat at the table, waiting patiently for their breakfast with glasses of milk sat in front of them. Ha, Greg even had a milk moustache.

Silence seemed to lull between us all and I swallowed thickly. I wasn't' ready to face them all so early in the morning. Shit, I forget that they were even here! I glanced around the kitchen, vaguely noting Paul and Rachel's absence with a small frown. They wouldn't really leave me here with them, would they? Surely not.

"Chris, Honey, come and sit. I'll make you some breakfast. I'm sorry if you don't want me in here; it's just that they kids were hungry." Kenna explained, sheepishly. I thawed out a little, smiling tightly at her as I rigidly made my way to the table. I pulled a chair out beside Greg and sat awkwardly. This was all too surreal.

"Uh, no…that's fine. I can't expect you to, erm, starve, or whatever." I mumbled, glancing up at Scott as he placed a cup of coffee in front of me with a smile. "Thanks."

"No sweat. I see you still like to lie in." he chuckled, leaning against the kitchen counter beside the stove. Kenna smiled at him. I bit my lip and shrugged.

"It's a Saturday. Thought it was customary." I murmured. They laughed.

"For most, yeah." Scott agreed. I smirked.

"Where's, um, Paul and Rachel?" I asked, confused. Didn't they sleep here last night? At my question, something passed over Kenna's face as she turned to look at me, wide eyed.

"Oh! I forgot to tell you! Paul had to take Rachel to the hospital this morning. Her waters broke." She informed me, calmly with a sheepish smile. I sat ram rod straight and stared at her incredulously. She _forgot_ to tell me that? Really? "Sorry, I'm a bit slow this morning."

I shot up from the table as soon as her words truly registered with me, my face panicked as I worried about Rachel. I raced to the phone, dialling Paul's number.

"Why the hell didn't you tell me sooner? Why didn't you wake me up?" I asked, frantically. Beeping from the receiver told me Paul was on the phone already and I sighed, hanging up before dialling again.

"Chris, Paul said not to let you worry and that he'll call you." Scott told me, calmly. I shook my head.

"She's not supposed to be in yet! She still has month to go." I replied, concerned. Beeping on the phone again. I growled and slammed the phone down on the receiver before walking briskly to the front door. I snatched up my keys and wallet, hooking my arm in my helmet before taking off out the door for the second time in two days.

"Chris, come eat first. She'll be perfectly fine." Kenna called after me but her voice trailed off as the door slammed shut behind me. This time I didn't' hang about. I shoved my helmet on, barely strapping it before my bike was soaring down the street towards Forks.

I can't believe he wouldn't wake me up for this! She was my fucking sister and she's a month early! Why wouldn't he tell me? Unless…they didn't' want me there. My bike slowed down at the thought and doubt crept into my mind. Was that it? Did they want me out the way whilst she went into labour? Did they think I'd be…a danger to the baby? Unexpected pain coursed through me as the thought came to mind and I shook my head. No, this was Paul and Rachel. They wouldn't think that…right? My bike slowed some more.

That has to be it…They didn't want me there. Why else wouldn't they wake me up? Sadness coursed through me as my bike came to a stop. I placed my foot down to stop me from falling and hung my head slightly. I didn't expect it to hurt this much…but then, when you let people in, you set them up better to hurt you. Fuck, I should know this and yet, I let it happen anyway. I'm such an idiot.

In that moment of realisation, a car zoomed past me, in the direction of Forks. It passed a few metres before the brakes slammed on and then Seth's head popped out the passenger side window. My heart sped up and I swallowed hard. He frowned before hopping out the truck, walking towards me.

"Chris? What are you doing here? I thought you'd be there already." He asked, perplexed. I shrugged.

"They didn't wake me up." I mumbled, lowly. He frowned.

"Okay…so you're heading up there now, right?" he asked. I shrugged. "But you have to. They'd want you up there."

I gave him a doubtful look. "Would they?"

"Of course they would. Don't be so silly. You're their little brother." He assured me. I shook my head.

"Then why wouldn't' they wake me up?"

"Maybe it was too early and they wanted to let you sleep. We only just got a call from Paul saying to come down. She's still in labour but she'll be pushing soon." He informed me. He called them first?

"I dunno…Maybe I should just go home and wait for him to call me as well." I mused, unsure. Seth shook his head and shoved my shoulder.

"You're being oversensitive again, like always. Come on. Just follow us." He ordered, smiling. I bit my lip but nodded, unable able shake the uneasy feeling of going without invitation. He smiled and walked back to the truck. Jacob waved at me from the driver side and I gave a half-hearted wave back, starting the bike again. I only hesitated slightly when they started to drive off, even then Jacob beeped at me to follow, leaving me without any choice, not really. I sighed and started off after them.

Doubt was ever present and stronger as we reached the hospital parking lot and I pulled into a space, turning everything off slowly as if to stall. Jacob pulled into the space beside me and grinned like only he can as he jumped out.

"You ready?" he asked, excitedly. I smiled and nodded, unsure. He clapped me on the shoulder. "Hey, don't worry about it, okay? Rachel will want you here, as well as Paul, I'm sure of it."

"I'll take your word for it but I wouldn't be surprised if he sends me on my way. I shouldn't have come without invitation." I mumbled. He sighed and placed his heavy arm across my shoulders, steering me towards the hospital entrance.

"Just come on and stop being a baby." He teased, grinning down at me. I rolled my eyes and Seth giggled beside me. I smiled just a little bit at the sound.

I hated the smell of hospitals. Too sterile and it was too bright and warm, which was doing nothing for my heat problem. But I'd spent so much time in them that my resentment went deep. I felt like I had a permanent scowl on my face whenever I entered one. I'm sure that this time was no different. We quickly got directions to the maternity ward and walked quickly and excitedly up two floors. Doubt was still on my mind but excitement was quickly growing in too. I can't believe it was finally happening, even though it was a month early. I hope they were both alright.

"Hey, we're looking for Mrs Rachel Meraz?" Jacob said at maternity reception just as Paul came walking out a room. He beamed at us when he spotted us.

"Jake, Seth, Chris! Over here." He called, flagging us down. Jake smiled at the receptionist before walking over to Paul with Seth. I hung back, doubtful more than ever.

"How is she?" Seth asked, excitedly. Paul grinned.

"She's great actually. The midwife said it was going to be an easy and quick enough birth. Rachel's not in too much pain, thank god." He chuckled. His whole persona screamed happiness and excitement right now and I couldn't help but smile. He looked at me a little sheepishly. "Hey, I was actually coming out to call you. Sorry we didn't' wake you up. She was nowhere near ready to deliver and you'd have only been standing around out here if you'd come with us. I figured you'd hate that since you hate hospitals and I also that you'd want some beauty sleep."

He didn't' wake me up because I thought I'd want to sleep; even though my sister was giving birth. Was he crazy? I appreciated his other reasoning though. I probably would have hated waiting around. I already wanted to get out of here but didn't because I wanted to see Rachel.

"See, I told you he'd want you here." Seth laughed, wrapping an arm around me shoulder. Paul looked between us, confused.

"Why would you think I didn't want you here? Jesus, you're an idiot." Paul laughed, pulling me into a headlock. I chuckled and pushed him off me. "What, did you think that because I didn't call we didn't want you here?"

"Something like that."

"Yeah, and I knew you were having doubts on your way here. Why else would you stop on the side of the highway?" Jacob chuckled. Paul cocked an eyebrow at me and shook his head, amused.

"Yeah, such an idiot." He repeated. I glared at him.

"Yeah, I caught that, thanks." I snapped, playfully. He smirked.

"Excuse me, Mr. Meraz?"

Paul spun around fast with an eager look on his face. "Yeah? What's up?" he asked, rushed. The nurse smiled knowingly.

"Rachel's ready to push now." She informed him and my heart dropped to my toes at the information. Shit, this was really happening. Paul's face lit up drastically and we had to chuckle at him. He raced back into the room without another word to us and I shook my head.

Looks like we're about to welcome another Meraz in the family…

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**Okay, so I guess you know what's coming in the next chapter **** I hope you enjoyed it!**

**Who saw the Marvins turning up? I certainly didn't. they gate crashed my mind and forced me to write. :P lol**

**Please be kind enough to leave a review! Thanks for reading!**

**Love,  
****MrsWolfPack  
****x**


	13. Something Special

**Hey, hey, my lovelies!  
I hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Year! To those who don't celebrate Christmas, I hope you enjoyed your alternative festivities!  
Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! You're amazing!**

**I hope you enjoy it!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, or its characters. Unfortunately…D:**

**Without further ado…Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 12**

**Something Special**

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**Chris' Point of View**

Rachel only wanted Paul in the delivery room with her, which was completely understandable. They deserved to have this experience between just the two of them but I was going out of my mind waiting around in the waiting room with half of Paul's friends. Not to mention Sam, Embry _and_ Josh were only ten feet away from me and kept shooting me curious and sheepish glances every few seconds. I wasn't about to let them get to me though. No, the really problem was Rachel.

Ever since the doctor or nurse or whatever announced that she was ready to push, my chest has been constricted and my stomach felt like it was going to fall from underneath me. I was so nervous for her and just plain scared but I didn't let it show on my face. I trained my features into an unnatural calm, not wanting to cause a scene but I had a feeling that Seth and Jacob could see right through me, as well as Sue.

It all boiled down to one simple fear – that we were going to lose Rachel as I had my mother. The mere thought of Rachel not making it through the birth was enough to make my head spin and I feared for the little bundle that she was birthing right now. Would he turn out like me without a mom? No, I didn't think so. The baby had Paul and all his friends. I had my grandmother but still, I doubt he'd turn out like me. That thought calmed me slightly, making it easier to breathe but only slightly. Somewhere deep down inside of me though, I knew that my fear was irrational. I knew that the likelihood of mothers passing during or after childbirth was slim, even though my mother was one of the unlucky ones. Doctors and medicine had advanced as well. I knew that it wouldn't happen, deep inside me. But fear is a powerful entity and it ate at you uncontrollably. I knew it wouldn't ebb away until; I got a chance to see and talk to Rachel for myself.

"Hey Chris, you alright?" Seth whispered to me, though he attracted attention from some of the guys. They eyed me critically as I smiled tightly at Seth, who frowned in return.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" I asked, lowly with a half shrug. He just eyed me some more, not believing my brave words. My eyes stayed glued to the floor.

"You're shaking." He murmured, worriedly as he brushed my hand with his. I flinched away from the touch instinctively and my heart clenched at the hurt that flashed across his face but soon turned into a reassuring smile. I peered down at my hands only to see that he was right. I was shaking. Fuck.

"Huh, I guess I am. Must be all the excitement." I mumbled, quietly.

"Rachel's gonna be oka-"

"I'm going to get a coffee. You want one?" I cut him off, hastily climbing to my feet and was already out the door before he could give me an answer.

My hands continued to shake as I worked the coffee machine at the end of the hallway and I concentrated on the job and nothing else. My hands got to a point that it was nearly impossible to work the shit thing when two warm hands obstructed my view, halting my hands in what they were doing. I froze and glanced up at the company I kept. Seth stood beside me, smiling sadly as he pulled my hands and me away from the machine and took my place. I took a shaky breath and propped myself up against the wall beside the machine, waiting for him to get his coffee. My eyes were intent on the floor, feeling humiliated to be caught in such a state.

It was silent for a few minutes apart from my heart hammering against my chest and then a coffee was placed under my head. I closed my eyes before following the hand and arm upwards until I came face to face with Seth again. The sadness was gone and had been replaced by understanding and reassurance. Slowly, I took the coffee he'd offered and took a sip, smiling slightly in thanks. He nodded before grasping my shoulder and leading me towards a few chairs that were lining the corridor. I followed him obediently, knowing he was just trying to help. He sat me down and took the seat beside me, still silent.

He stayed silent until I'd finished my coffee before he gently pried the empty cup from my hands and got up to dump it in the trash. When he sat down, he spoke. "Chris, she's going to be fine." He whispered, softly. My eyes closed and I nodded, almost hysterically.

"I know. I know. I'm just being an idiot but…I can't help it." I sighed, digging the heels of my hands into my eyes. He gently pulled my hands away from my face to avoid further damage.

"I know you can't. It's understandable. This is the first birth you've had to confront into your life and it's bringing all sorts of memories and insecurities back up. I get it. But I'm telling you, Chris. She. Will. Be. Fine. I promise. I know it won't take away the fear right now but just trust me, okay? If you feel like you're gonna lose it, just look at me and I'll get you out of there." He promised, sincerely as he looked directly into my eyes. Something, a feeling I wasn't quite ready to acknowledge yet, coursed through me and I smiled lightly, nodding. I found myself already trusting Seth. There was something about him that just…_calmed_ me.

"Thank you." I whispered, looking down. I was mortified when I felt my cheeks flush. I never blush. He chuckled and picked my chin back up.

"You're welcome but you don't need to thank me. For anything. I do what I do because I care, Chris. We all do. When you believe that yourself, not just with Paul and Rachel, but everyone, you'll be better off." He told me, smiling. I swallowed thickly and smiled, nodding before taking a deep breath.

"You're right. I know you are but…Like I said, it's just-"

"Hard." He finished, smiling. I nodded.

"How about you let me help you tackle it all? You've got Paul, the big brother; Rachel, the big sister and soon, the baby who will either be your niece or nephew. But you need a friend, someone you can tell things that you can't to Paul or Rachel."

"Let me guess? You want to apply for that role?" I teased, smirking. He chuckled and shrugged.

"Maybe, yeah." He admitted, blushing. I watched him for a second from under my eyelashes. He seemed genuine. I shrugged, nonchalantly.

"I guess I could give you a trail." I agreed, slowly. His head snapped to mine and he grinned widely. I was stunned by its wattage and couldn't help return a fraction of it.

"Awesome. I won't let you down." He promised, chuckling. I smiled and nodded; my eyes down. After a second, he took my hand which made me glance at him, confused. His face was serious, all signs of playfulness gone. "Ever. I will never let you down, Chris. I promise."

"You shouldn't make promises you can't keep." I sighed.

"Try me. This is one promise I'm keeping. I can assure you of that." He assured me, smiling softly. I swallowed hard, finding it hard to disconnect my gaze from his, as if we were suddenly magnetic. The longer we looked, the faster his breathing became and I could feel my own forcing its way in and out of my chest harder as well. My heart was jackhammering and my mouth felt like a fucking waterfall that I had to convulsively swallow around constantly.

I watched, frozen in place, as his hand extended towards my face. His fingertips were the first contact. My eyes fluttered closed. His fingers skimmed across my cheek. I swallowed back a gasp. His palm cupped my jaw. It was so warm…so soft. I leant into it, involuntary. A light, warm pressure swept across my bottom lip and I gasped, my lips parting on their own. My face was turned but my eyes remained closed, convinced that this was some sort of dream or some shit. The warm, teasing breath sweeping across my face told me it wasn't. my eyes snapped open, widening as Seth's face was so close to mine, too close but I couldn't move. I was frozen. He was going to kiss me and I couldn't do anything about it.

He leaned in. My breath held. His thumb swept across my lip again. I felt the unfamiliar urge to lick it. I didn't. I swallowed. His nose brushed against mine and I was still frozen, unsure of what to do, what to say. His breath fanned across my mouth but mine was still held, which was becoming increasingly harder to hold. He leaned in further. His lips were almost on mine but he did the unthinkable. His trajectory changed and his lips brushed against my flushed, red cheek. The breath I was holding escaped me in a huge gush and every fibre in my body relaxed at the contact.

"We should get back in there. They'll be wondering where we got to." He whispered against my skin, sending his scorching breath cascading down my neck. I fought back a shiver as he pulled back, slowly taking his hand from my cheek. My eyes slid closed and didn't reopen as he stood. "I'll um, meet you in there, shall I?"

All I could do was nod dumbly and I felt and heard him walk away from me and my scrambled mind down the hall. I couldn't think past the tingling sensation prickling across my entire cheek. The sensation crept across my skin, over my face and slithered down my neck. I shivered violently with a gasp and shook my head, swallowing hard as I slumped back in the hard, plastic chair. My head flopped back hard against the wall behind me but I didn't really feel it. By this point, my entire body was humming, originating from my cheek and I found myself revelling in it, silently.

I don't know how long I sat there, or if anyone saw or walked past me during that time but I was startled however long later by a warm hand on my shoulder. I jerked, gasping in fright as I lurched forwards in my chair. The hand became restraining as it prevented me from face planting onto the floor.

"Whoa, Chris. Jumpy much?" Jacob chuckled, amused but had a tinge of concern lacing his voice. I shook my head to clear it before looking up at my boss. His eyes reflected the slight concern in his voice and he smiled, lightly. "You alright?"

"Yeah…Yeah I was just thinking. It was quiet for a long time." I excused, shrugging as I sat up in my chair. He nodded after a second of watching me critically.

"Okay…Well, I came out here to get you. Rachel wants you to be the first to meet the baby with me and Billy." He informed me, grinning like a fool. I stared at him in shock until what he said actually registered with me and I shot up standing.

"She had the baby?" I almost shouted, frantically as my heart sped up in fright. He steadied me as I swayed.

"Whoa, Chris, you need to calm down. Think back to what I said." He prompted me, seriously. I frowned in confusion but ran his words back through my mind. _Rachel wants you to be the first to meet the baby with me and Billy…_My eyes widened as I realised what he was getting at – _Rachel_ wanted me to see me. She was alright, or at least, _alive_. I looked at Jacob, who was smiling. "See, she's fine. Come on, I want to meet my niece or nephew. You've been out her for the last two hours."

"Two hours? Really?" I asked, surprised as he grasped my forearm and dragged me towards Rachel's room. He peered back and nodded.

Billy was stationary outside Rachel's door, talking animatedly with Paul as they waited for the two of us to get our asses moving. Billy spotted us first, calling for us to get a move on because he wanted to meet his grandson. I felt a grin spread across my face as he said it. Paul had a son. Shit. Said man turned and grinned at me widely, pulling me into a fierce hug. He laughed as he squeezed me tightly.

"Where have you been, Man? We've been looking for you everywhere!" he exclaimed, hooking an arm around my shoulders before steering me towards the door. The reality of what I was about to do struck me and I hesitated.

Was he really going to trust me in the close vicinity to his new-born son? Was he crazy? He felt my resistance and seemed to know exactly what was wrong. He stopped and turned me to face him.

"Stop it. Stop doubting yourself. We talked about this, Chris. We trust you, I trust you and Rachel does too so suck it up and get in there." He said firmly but softly, staring me in the eyes. I swallowed hard and broke, nodding. He grinned and pushed the door open, holding it for us to pass through.

Rachel was laid in a clean, dry bed, practically glowing as she held a small blue bundle in her arms. I couldn't see the baby from here but it was obvious that he was small. Tiny, really. I took a deep breath and glanced at Paul, who nodded firmly. I sighed but did as I was silently told, walking further into the room. I allowed Jacob and Billy to pass me in their eagerness, knowing that despite my invitation, this was a family moment. Again, Paul seemed to catch onto what I was trying to do, or get out of, and he clamped down on my shoulder, pushing me softly towards the bed, the opposite side to his brother and father-in-law.

Billy was crying happily as he peered up at his new grandson and Jacob looked to be right alongside him. He leant down and kissed Rach on the side of the head, whispering something in her ear that caused her to tear up and grin at him. Paul stood proudly at my side as I slouched, probably looking as awkward as I felt.

"Who wants to hold him first?" Paul asked, smiling.

"That would be me." Jacob said, reaching forward. Billy shoved him away.

"He's my grandson. _I_ hold him first."

"So, he's my nephew. What's your point?" he replied, frowning. Billy grumbled under his breath and shook his head.

"Chris?" Rachel asked, turning her eyes to me. Seeing her alive and smiling, I felt something lift from my shoulders and I was suddenly a lot lighter than in these last few hours. I swallowed hard, smiling but shook my head.

"No, I don't think…Just let Billy hold him, yeah?" I said, awkwardly as I took a step back. Paul shot me a look that said he knew what my problem was but relented my request, taking the baby from his mother's arms, though not before he gave her a kiss, and laid him down into Billy's. His tears became faster and he laughed joyously as he held his first grandchild. Or at least, I _think_ it is.

"He's so beautiful, Rach. I'm so proud of you." He told her, beaming widely. She smiled and a single tear escaped her. Paul wiped it away, kissing her again.

"We're all proud of you. You did so amazing." Paul uttered, reverently. She nodded. I smiled and took the seat next to Rachel's bed. She turned to me and smiled.

"Hey you, how you feeling?" she asked, worriedly. I frowned.

"Shouldn't I be the one asking you that?" I asked, chuckling tightly. She smiled but continued to look at me expectantly. I sighed.

"A lot better than I was." I admitted, looking down at my hands. Jacob snorted.

"He worked himself up. He was sat out in the hall for two hours before we came in here." He chuckled, shaking his head at me. I glared at the traitor. He just shrugged, smirking. Rachel's firm eyes turned back to me and she sighed.

"Silly boy. I was fine. If I realised you'd get yourself in a state, I'd have had you in here too so I could knock some sense into you every few minutes." She grumbled, pushing my head affectionately. I sighed but smiled.

"I couldn't help it. I don't have many fond memories in a hospital." I murmured, lowly. Rachel picked my head up.

"You do now…Now come here so you can hold your nephew." She demanded just as Paul pulled me to my feet. I tensed and began shaking my head immediately.

"No, no way. I can't. What if I-"

"You won't hurt him if you hold him right. I'll show you." Paul cut me off, turning to take the baby from Jacob before looking back at me. he looked so much smaller in Paul's arms and I felt a cold sweat break across my forehead. I shook my head.

"Paul…I don't want to hurt him." I whispered, sadly as I took a step back. Paul's face softened.

"Chris, we trust you. You'll be fine. I promise." He told me, gently. I swallowed hard as he took a step forwards with his son. Jacob stepped up beside us and grabbed my arms, manoeuvring them so that they made a cradle. My whole body was shaking with fear and apprehension. I shouldn't be doing this. At all.

"Relax. He'll sense your unease. Just take a deep breath, close your eyes for a second and just calm down." Paul coached, encouragingly. I nodded and closed my eyes, doing as I was told. Paul took that time to slip the baby into my cradled arms, making sure that I had him supported before pulling back. "There, see, you're holding him. You're fine. He's fine. Open your eyes."

Hesitantly, I did as I was told. Paul came into focus first and his proud grin sent a shock wave through me. I glanced at Jacob to see that same smile and I let out a deep breath, feeling the weight of the baby in my arms. He was so light and his smallness was even more obvious now. I would be so easy to hurt him. One tiny slip, one wrong movement or turn and I could hurt this precious little thing. Fear spiked through me against but I didn't let it affect me physically, all too aware of how easy it really could be.

"You can look down at him you know. You won't turn to stone if you do." Paul chuckled, lightly. I glanced at him and noted his encouraging nod. I sighed, peering down at the little face poking out the blanket in my arms.

My heart clenched as the dark blue eye peering up at me, so expressive that it was hard to even look away. I swallowed thickly, fighting back the traitor tears that were begging to escape. I never cry. I haven't cried since my Grandmother died and I wasn't about to start now. I refused. But as the small child peered up at me, his eyes widened as if in wonder and his little arms began to stretch back and forth, as if reaching for me. I never thought that someone could love something so small or so fast before but I found that this little baby was squirm its way into the walls surrounding my heart, through the little cracks.

The flash of a camera jolted me back to reality and I peered up with wide eyes, seeing Rachel holding a camera to her chest as she smiled at her baby and me. I should have been pissed with the fact that someone just took my picture but I couldn't bring myself to care right now.

"You guys…" Rachel sighed, emotionally. "You look so perfect holding him, Chris. I don't know what your problem was."

"Neither do I, Son. You look like a natural." Billy seconded, smiling at me. I felt my face flush slightly and nodded, awkwardly. Paul chuckled.

"Alright, lay off the poor guy. He's not used to showing so much emotion in one day." He laughed, slapping me on the back. My arms tightened around the baby slightly at the impact, safe guarding him against the jolt. I didn't want him falling out my arms. Paul caught the motion and smirked at me. "Yeah, you'll be just fine. You're already protective of the little guy."

"So, are you going to keep us on the dark until his first birthday or are you going to reveal the name of my Grandson?" Billy asked, peering between Paul and Rachel, expectantly. Jacob looked eager too, smiling. The new parents shared as look and a smile before Paul chuckled.

"Yeah, well, we figured he needed something that hasn't been used in the family before, to have his own identity so there's no Paul juniors or anything. We wanted it to be unique but meaningful as well. Or at least, part of his name."

"That's a relief." Jacob snorted, grinning. I smiled and nodded. Paul flipped him the bird.

"So come on then. Don't keep an old man in the dark." Billy urged, grinning.

"Alejandro." Rachel announced, proudly. "Or Alex, for short."

"Alejandro Meraz. Alex Meraz. I like it." Jacob sounded, grinning down at the little boy in my arms. I smiled and nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, it suits him." I replied.

"Any guesses for his middle name?" Paul asked the three of us. I shrugged, not having the foggiest idea what it was.

"Bob?" Jacob asked, flatly. I rolled my eyes.

"Do be serious, you idiot. No, not _Bob_." Rachel said, saying the name as if it was a bad taste in her mouth. I chuckled along with Paul and Billy.

"Alejandro Christopher." Paul murmured, looking down at his son but I knew he was speaking to me. I felt myself freeze as I stared at the side of his head, wide eyed.

"You can't be serious." I deadpanned, stunned. Paul looked up and smiled, totally serious. I looked over at Rachel to see her smiling also. I frowned. "You can't curse the poor kid with my name. He'll have bad luck for the rest of his life."

"Don't be ridiculous. You're as bad as Jacob. He'll love you have your name when he's older. His Uncle Chris." Rachel beamed, widely.

"You guys are crazy but whatever…Thanks." I murmured, softly. I looked back down at the baby or Alex should I say, to see that his eyes were closed and his breathing was deep and slow. His face was the perfect picture of innocence and I found myself smiling even wider. "He really is cute."

"Thank you." Rach whispered, reverently. I smiled at her.

"How's about we let all the other riff-raff in here to meet him?" Paul suggested, looking at Rachel. She nodded and smiled. Paul tuned back to me and I knew what he wanted. I froze, not comfortable with passing over my sleeping nephew. "Just, slide your hand that's on his back towards his bum and then slide his head and neck gently down your other arm until it's in your hand. He'll be fine."

"I don't know…Like this?" I asked, unsure as I did what I was told. Paul smiled and nodded before lifting him into his own arms, doing the reverse of what I did. It was a relief and a sadness to have him leave my arms but I knew that Rachel and Paul will find other situations where I'd have to hold him. It was obvious that they wanted me to get over my fear of everything related to pregnancy, birth and babies. This had to be their motive all along.

I glanced at the clock, seeing that it was already 2 in the afternoon. I would have to go home soon. I wondered whether the Marvins were still at my house or whether they'd seen enough and picked up and left. I wouldn't blame them. With one last look at Alex, I sighed.

"I'm gonna have to get home. House guests and all." I told Paul, shrugging. He looked worried for a second.

"Oh yeah, shit, I forgot about them. Are you gonna be okay with them on your own?" he asked, worriedly. Rachel was also looking at me with worry. I smiled tightly and nodded.

"I'd rather stay here but I remember enough of what my Grandmother told me to know I shouldn't leave house guests to fend for themselves. I better go." I sighed, reluctantly. He nodded and patted my shoulder.

"Well, the doctor said we should be able to come home later on, providing Alex passes all his inspections. He's early but he's healthier than the doctor expected." He told me. I nodded.

"Do you want me to go over to your house and get anything ready?" I offered, thoughtfully. He shook his head.

"Nah, we're all set."

"Okay." I leaned down to Alex and stroked his cheek fondly before walking over to Rachel to peck her cheek. She pulled me down for a hug and pecked my cheek back. "I'm proud of you. He's beautiful."

"Thank you, Uncle Chris." She murmured back, grinning. I blushed, chuckling as I pulled back and waved to the Blacks.

"See you later."

"Come over for dinner later, Chris." Rachel called after me. "If I'm out of here."

"Sure thing." I called back before leaving the room. Everybody was waiting anxiously at the waiting room door as I passed and I smiled at them.

"Is everything alright/W here you going?" Sue asked me, worriedly.

"Everything's fine. I'm going home but Paul said you can all go down now." I informed them, walking backwards down the hall. She grinned and rushed down the hall to Rachel's room. Everyone else rushed after her but Seth lingered at the waiting room door. My steps faltered and I stopped in the middle of the hallway. He smiled at me, waving before heading off after the rabble, slower. I stared after him, remembering that tingling. Io smiled, shaking my head before I continued out the hospital.

Climbing onto my bike, I remembered what I was about to walk into at home. Or maybe not, depending on what they had decided. A part of me wanted them to still be there when I got there but another didn't want to have to face the awkwardness and the complication that was the Marvins. That was the selfish side of me. I was surprised to realise that the non-selfish part of me, the one that wanted them to stick around, came out the strongest. It wasn't too long ago that I wanted them to disappear.

I rode fast down the La Push roads, knowing them confidently now, having traversed them enough. When I pulled up into the driveway, my eyes hastened; seeing their car still parked in front of me. I swallowed hard, steeling myself for what I was walking into. I turned off my bike, took off my helmet and demounted, propping it onto the seat before making my way to the front door. I took a deep breath and opened it.

"Chris, hey! We're making muffins. You want some?" Greg asked, excitedly from my kitchen counter, covered in chocolate sauce and muffin mix. I froze in my kitchen doorway, seeing the chaos that was my cooking area. Greg and Hayley stood side by side, eating the mix that they were cupping into individual muffin cases sat in a pan. I glanced around, still frozen, wondering where the hell their parents were.

"Hey Chris, how's that couple and their baby?" Hayley asked me, smiling shyly. She knew the freak out that was happening within me at the moment and was afraid that they were in trouble. I didn't really care, to be honest.t they were only using my kitchen for what it was supposed to be used for.

"Rachel and Paul. Yeah, they're fine. Had a little boy they named Alex…Uh, where's Scott and Kenna?" I asked, hesitantly. She smiled.

"Dad's out at the minute. He walked to that grocery store a couple blocks away and Mom's upstairs feeding Danielle." She informed me, nonchalantly.

"Danielle?" I asked, confused but then remembered the baby carrier they brought in with them. "Kenna had a baby? When was this?"

"Danni's only a few months old." Greg told me, distractedly. I nodded, awkwardly.

"Oh, Chris, Sweetie, you're back. I hope you don't mind. I let them amuse themselves and this must be what they came up with. I'll make sure they clean up after themselves if you're going out again." Kenna said, cheerfully as she walked into the kitchen beside me whilst burping a cute, chubby little girl on her shoulder. I watched her and then my once foster siblings, feeling the bizarreness of the situation creeping up on me until I snapped.

"Hold up, hold up…Isn't this, the least bit weird to you?" I asked in disbelief. They all looked at me, confused. "Guys, did you forget the manner in which you arrived?"

"Oh, right, of course. We're sorry. It was just so natural being here. Are we making you uncomfortable?" Kenna asked, guiltily. I sighed.

"Not really, no. I just thought maybe…you would have left already." I mumbled, looking at the floor.

"You expected us to be gone?" she asked. I nodded. "Do you want us to be? We came here for you, Chris but I'm not about to force our family onto you and your fresh start. We'll leave if you need us to."

"Well…I, erm…No, no I don't want you to leave either. I don't know what I want. I'm kinda confused right now." I admitted, slumping against the doorway. Kenna squeezed my shoulder.

"I know and we're sorry we added to that but if it's alright, we'd like to stick around and get to know this new and improved Chris…If you want." She added hastily and I looked up at her. There was so much hope in her eyes and it was reflected onto her children as well. Hayley was so hopeful that it broke my heart to see. We were the closest when I was living with them and I still felt guilty about the manner in which she found. Greg seemed hopeful but resigned to anything I decided. Danielle was looking at me with wide eyes. They reminded me of Alex.

And my decision was made for me.

"Okay…whatever. Um…do you have a place to, you know, stay or whatever?" I asked, biting my lip. She smiled.

"We're going to get a hotel for the night and find something more permanent tomorrow." She told me. I frowned.

"So…you were staying anyway? If you're looking for someplace permanent then does that mean you haven't got the house in Maine anymore?" I asked, confused.

She nodded. "We wanted to be in your life, Chris. We all missed you and when Danielle was born, it just enhanced it. It was like losing a son only to gain a daughter but I still wanted that lost son. So Scott and I made a decision and the kids all agreed that whether you made it easy or hard, we'd be in your life again." She admitted, sheepishly. I glanced between her and the others, surprised but then shrugged, nonchalantly.

I wasn't ready to express how much that meant to me, at least not with words. "How's about you just stay her for the night. I mean, you already stayed once. Another night won't be a problem." I offered, lowly. Kenna beamed.

"I was hoping you'd offer." She giggled, jokingly. I chuckled and nodded.

"Are you gonna help us make muffins or what?" Greg asked, even more excited now that he knew they'd be staying, at least for a while.

"Maybe some other time, Greg." I told him, apprehensive. He nodded. There wasn't much that disappointed that boy for what I remember.

"Well, what are you doing now?" Kenna asked and for once, I wasn't sure.

"I, erm…I don't know." I answered, unsure. Then an idea struck me. I didn't know whether it was my place to do it but I wanted to show Paul and Rachel, despite my apprehension and fear of him, that I wanted to be part of Alex's life. I had a good part of the day to get it done. I just hoped, as harsh as it sounds, that Rachel stays in for a night of observation so I could have more. "Actually, there is something I'm gonna do. I'll be back soon, okay?"

She smiled and nodded, turning to join her kids in the kitchen whilst I picked up my bike keys. But then I froze. I couldn't ride if I was about to do what I was. I'd need a car. I glanced down at the keys and then back to the kitchen.

"Um, Kenna?" I called, hesitantly. I didn't want to be rude.

"Huh?" she asked, peering out the kitchen. I smiled sheepishly.

"Do you, uh, I mean…could I maybe borrow your car?" I asked, nervously. She smiled and nodded.

"Sure. Those are the keys next to yours in the bowl." She informed me before returning to the kitchen. I was slightly surprised that she let me use her car so easily but then, we were talking about Kenna right now. I quickly picked her keys up, taking mine along anyway before leaving the house. She had a modest car, as Vauxhall Vectra in dark blue but it was a good family car, I guess.

I hopped into the car and thought about where the nearest hardware store was. I think my best bet was going to be Forks so I made my way over there. I started wracking my brain for ideas and came up with probably too many as I pulled up in front of the store. I scanned the wall full of tins and tins of paint of all shades, wondering which would be best for a boy's nursery. However, I did feel that one colour just wouldn't work. He bought so many different emotions that he can bring out of me that he deserved more than a simple red or blue room. As I scanned over the tins of paint, an idea came to me and I knew that it would be the one I'd carry out. it was just doing it. I knew Rachel's favourite colour was green but Paul's was red. I personally don't like either of them but then, Alex isn't my kid. He deserved a colour, or colours that he would learn to love on his own, not biased by his mother or father.

Rachel and Paul had been holding off painting the nursery until the baby was born. He was only going to have to sleep in a Moses basket in their room for a few months anyway so they didn't have a problem with it. But, I suspected that having a baby would have been hard for Rachel and she was going to need Paul with her. I was here and free so I could easily paint four walls and put everything up, right? Everything was purchased, like the crib and stuff. They just needed constructing. Thinking about it, everything they got had been white.

"Excuse me, can I help you?" an average sized, slightly geek-ish guy asked from behind me. I turned and nodded, slightly.

"Oh, uh, yeah. I'm painting a kid's nursery." I told him vaguely. He waited for me to explain some more but I didn't know what he wanted me to say. He nodded slowly.

"Okay…" he replied, drawing out the word before stepping up beside me. "Boy or girl?"

"Boy."

"Furniture colour?"

"White. Everything's white."

"Were you thinking about any particular colour or did you have a design in mind?" he asked, peering up at me. I shrugged and nodded. "A design?" I nodded.

"Yeah, I want to do something good for the kid." I told him. Again, he nodded. He was like a Churchill dog.

"Okay, well, why don't you come with me and sketch out the design and we'll play around with some colours on the computer?" he suggested, leading the way towards the front desk, where a computer lie. I shrugged, thinking it wouldn't hurt and we spent a good twenty minutes designing my nephew's nursery. I figured that he could have his own at my house for whenever he and his parents came round. It couldn't hurt right? What's the worst they could do? Tell me to redecorate or something? We decided that they'd be designed the same though. No need to add extra work.

"Right, so are you sure you wanted these colours?" he asked me once more before we went out to pick out the tins. I nodded, scanning over the computer screen again with a small smile on my face. "Okay, follow me."

I left him to get the paint since he knew where to look for it. He was getting enough of each colour to paint two rooms so the tin tower was beginning to get pretty high. I wasn't so much concerned about the price tag because it was for a pretty good cause. I helped him carry the paint tins to the cashier so that he could ring them in before we carried them off towards Kenna's car. I say I helped him but I was carrying the most, to be honest. My strength was becoming greater these past few weeks and I hadn't really thought more on it but in situations like this, it was plainly obvious.

"Is that everything?" he asked, huffing with exertion as I stood beside him, straight and completely in breath.

"Yeah, thanks for the help." I replied, opening the car door.

"How aren't you tired?" he asked, astonished.

I shrugged. "I guess I'm fitter than you." I said, nonchalantly as I climbed in the car, starting before zooming out the parking lot. The shop assistant stared after me, his mouth wide open. It didn't take me long to get to Paul's house, deciding I better get their nursery done before mine since Alex would need somewhere to sleep either later tonight or tomorrow. I unloaded the car and carried the paint straight up to the baby's room, stacking them all in the corner.

I peered around the room, wondering where I shoulder start. This was going to be fun…

* * *

**Paul's Point of View**

The first thing I noticed when I pulled up into my driveway was the unfamiliar car parked in it. I frowned, wondering who it belonged to. I'd seen it once before but I couldn't [pin point where. I climbed out the car and rushed to unlock the front door, only I was already open. I frowned deeper, anger coursing through me at the audacity of people breaking into our home. I thrust the front door open, shaking as I scanned the bottom level for any intruder. The stench of paint hit me instantly and it confused me more. It was only when Chris' familiar face came trotting down the stairs that my wolf relaxed and I sighed, shaking my head.

"You fucking idiot. I thought you were a freaking squatter or some shit." I growled, pushing his shoulder. He chuckled and shrugged.

"Sorry Man. I should have called you to say I'd be here. How's Rachel? Alex?" he asked, wiping something off his hands. I grinned at the mentioning of my family and Chris rolled his eyes at me, smiling as well.

"They're perfect. Rachel's being kept in for a night of observation. Alex's lungs are slightly underdeveloped but it's nothing to worry about, apparently. They she both be out tomorrow noon, just about." I informed him, proudly. He nodded and smiled slightly, making me frown. "You're up to something. What are you even doing here and why do I smell paint?"

Chris glanced up the stairs and a light blush took over his cheeks. My eyes widened at the sight of it, as it was very rare and was even more intrigued about what he was doing up there. I tried to get past him to the stairs but he moved with me, blocking my way. I frowned at him.

"It's a surprise…I, uh…I hope I'm not overstepping or anything, I just…" he spluttered, blocking my way another two times as I've tried to step past him. I cocked an eyebrow, inquisitively.

"You just what? What are you doing? Tell me." I demanded, curiously. He hesitated so I pushed his shoulder impatiently.

"I figured that…Alex wouldn't want to sleep in a neutral yellow room so…"

Surprise overtook me and I straight in shock, staring at him stunned. His face lowered, as if he expected me to blow up at the revelation that he was painting a nursery for my son but pride overtook me again and I pulled him into a hug. He tensed for a second before actually wrapping his arms around to me to return the hug. I pulled back and rested my hands on both his shoulders.

"You're painting his nursery?" I asked, happily. He nodded sheepishly. "Shit, can I see?"

"You don't mind?" he asked, surprised. I snorted.

"Hell no! I'm happy that you wanna do it for him. Can I see?" I repeated, excitedly. He blocked my way _still_.

"I kinda want it to be a surprise." He murmured, nervously. I watched him and decided that I'd indulge him today.

"Okay, fine, keep your sneaky secrets. I guess it's a good thing for you that they're staying in hospital tonight. Gives you more time." I chuckled. He shrugged.

"I would have worked with any time I was granted. I have all the windows open in the baby's room, in case they were coming home tonight." He told me, considerately.

"Cool. Oh, I wanted to talk to you about what happened at the hospital." I told him, feeling the familiar worry towards him whenever he was freaking out and shit. I saw him blush and scratch the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"Oh, right, about that. I'm sorry for, you know, doubting Rachel's strength and everything. A part of me knew that she'd be okay but-"

"Hey, hey, don't worry about it. That's not what I was getting at. Are you okay? I know that it must have been hard for you to be at the hospital, especially waiting during a birth but I really appreciate you being there. You're lucky because you were kind of Rachel's standby, she'd decided, for if she needed someone else." I admitted, sheepishly. We were meant to talk about it with him but we never got the chance. Alex decided he wanted an early start and shit. I saw his face pale and his head was shaking even before I'd finished speaking.

"Erm, no, I-I don't think…I don't think I would have been able to-"

I placed a hand on his shoulder, calming him down but he was still pale. "Hey, I know but luckily, you weren't needed. I had everything under control but I thought you should know. You were a lot of help for Rachel with her just knowing you were there, waiting so thank you." I told him, sincerely as I pulled him into a hug. He relaxed against me and hugged me back again. Twice in ten minutes. I really was getting somewhere with this kid.

"Sure, uh, don't worry about it. He really is a cute kid." He replied, quietly. I beamed.

"Well no shit, I'm his father!"

We both laughed and he retorted, "Nah, I think he gets it from his mother's side of the family." I scowled at him but I couldn't agree more with him on that. Alex was Rachel's male mini-me. For that fact alone, I was proud.

"Don't you have some painting to do?" I bit, pushing his shoulder gently. He laughed.

"Don't you have a family to get back to?" he retorted, returning the gesturing in kind. I shrugged.

"Rach sent me home, told me not to go back until about six. Can you believe that? Four hours without them. She wants me to catch a nap and something to eat." I said, shrugging. It already hurt being away from them but it made me feel better, knowing that Jacob was still with her until I got back. If anyone would keep her safe, it'd be her little brother.

"As long as you stay out of Alex's room, go ahead." He allowed and I cocked an eyebrow,.

"You're telling me where I can and cannot go in my7 own house?" I asked, teasingly. He grinned.

"Why not? Rachel does." He replied, chuckling before he hopped back up the stairs. It was then that I noticed he was dressed in some white overalls, covered in a variety of colours. I was glad that I saw blue somewhere on him too, a little brown and white. What the hell was he doing up there?

It was about three hours later that I heard from him again. He came trotting down the stairs, out of his overalls now which suggested that he'd finished painting. I was sat in the living room, watching the afternoon game with a cold beer and after a second, he came back out the kitchen with his own beer, flopping down next to me on the couch with a self-satisfied smile on his face. He ignored me for a second, glancing over the game whilst I continued to look at him. He turned to face me and smirked. I laughed.

"I take it you like the outcome?" I asked, glancing at the stairs. I wondered if his speed had enhanced yet and whether I could make it to the stairs before him. I decided that I shouldn't spoil his surprise or his fun. He shrugged.

"Almost. There's just a few things that I need to do later and stuff to get to complete the room but if you're asking if the painting's done, then yes, yes it is." He told me, nodding as he sipped his beer.

"And I['m not allowed to see it yet?" I asked.

"You're not allowed to see it yet." He repeated with conviction, shooting me a stern look. I held up my hands. "Including when I go out. Tell me if I have to lock the bedroom door and I will."

"Fine, fine, I won't look. Geesh. You're worse than Rach." I laughed, turning back to the game. He gave me an incredulously. I sighed. "Okay, so she's pretty bad and you're maybe not as bad but close, very close."

"Whatever." He laughed.

We sat side by side for about an hour and a half, watching the game. Both of us had moved occasionally to get more beers or snacks but essentially, we were couch potatoes for the whole afternoon. My body and wolf ached to get back to Rachel and I was glad that I only had 45 minutes before I was able to go and see her, as designated by her.

"So hey, what's happening with the Marvins? Are they leaving or what?" I asked, suddenly remembering that he was left to meet the family on his own after coming home from the hospital. I was still feeling kind of guilty for that. Chris shrugged.

"Eh, they have it in their heads that they want to be in my life so they're stay for the night before finding a place of their own. They sold their old house in Maine and everything so whether I wanted them to stay or not, they were." He informed me, nonchalantly. I assessed him, wondering if he was genuinely fine or if he had that weird emotional mask on his face again. I determined that he was in fact okay, which surprised me.

"But you wanted them to leave when they arrived, what changed?" I asked, seriously. He shrugged.

"Nothing much. That was the selfish, non-confrontational side of me that wanted them gone, the side that wanted nothing of my old life in with the new. But now, I guess the other side of me is in play."

"You have a non-confrontational side?" I asked, jokingly. He sent me a glare but his smirk kind of killed its impact. I chuckled. "So they're for real?"

He nodded. "Seem to be." He agreed, absently.

"You sure you want them around?"

"Why, threatened of 12 years old Greg and your brother status?" he joked, making me scowled.

"Should I feel threatened? I won't hesitate to pummel the kid if he thinks he's replacing me." I told him, seriously. He burst out laughing and shook his head.

"Chill out, I'm kidding…Kinda." I growled and eh laughed again, holding up his hands. "You're my big brother. He's technically my little brother. All's good."

"Who do you like best?"

"That's an unfair question."

"And you just deflected it. Answer it."

"No." he chuckled, pulling himself up from the couch. I followed him, scowling. We entered the kitchen and he began to recycle the beer bottles we'd been nursing for the entire afternoon.

"Why not? Are you saying you like him better?" I asked, accusingly. He laughed and shook his head, his back to me as he washed his hands. "So you're saying you like me better?"

"No, I'm not saying anything. It's not fair to Greg. He isn't here to defend himself."

"So we'll pick it up when we're all together next."

"No."

"Why not?"

"He's 12. You're like, what, 20 something? Not to mention you're the size of a fucking mountain. You'll terrorise the poor guy." He chuckled.

"Maybe that's what he needs." I replied, darkly.

"Go see Rach and Alex, Paul. It's six." He told me, glancing at the clock. Damn him, he knew he'd won by mentioning that. I glared at him but motioned that this wasn't over. He just rolled his eyes, shouting back over his shoulder as he turned to wash my dishes. I grumbled all the way to the hospital, wondering why he wouldn't just answer the damn question!

* * *

**Okay, so there's another chapter for you guys! I hope you liked it! Please review!**

**A picture of Alex's nursery will be on my profile after the next chapter has been posted. **

**I don't have a beta so if there's any mistakes, just point them out and I'll correct them. Sorry :)**

**Please review!**

**Love,  
****MrsWolfPack  
****x**


	14. Kinda Sorta

**Hey, hey, my lovelies!**

**Thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter!**

**There's a picture on my Photobucket of Alex's nursery to go with this chapter :) The link is on my profile! I hvane't managed to upload it yet but check in later and it'll be up! :D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight! Unfortunately...D:**

**Without further ado...Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 13**

**Kinda Sorta**

* * *

**Chris' Point of View**

There was a few bits and bobs that I needed to purchase for Alex's new nursery. So far, I was pleasantly surprised and pleased about how the paint work had turned out. I knew I was artistic but I never knew that it could reach to that extent, that I could be that creative. I didn't even think about what I was going to paint before I did, not really. I mean, I had a rough idea but the design we came up with at the shop and what I had painted were totally different. I thought it looked quite cool and I could only hope that Rachel and Paul would be pleased with the results like I was.

I found my destination to be set in my mind for Port Angeles. I figured there had to be some sort of baby store in the port town and hoped that they had everything that I needed and something that would match the overall, and unintended, theme of the nursery. I was driving past the 'Welcome to La Push' sign when Jacob's truck came zooming past me from the opposite direction. He waved at me as we passed each other and I waved back, noticing Seth and Leah also in the truck with him. A few metres away behind me, his truck came to a stop and Seth hopped out. I frowned in confusion as he waved me down, signalling me to stop. I did as he wanted and waited whilst he jogged up to the passenger side door. He opened it and peeked in, grinning impishly. My heart rate picked up at the sight but I fought to keep my reaction from my face.

"Hey, where are you headed?" he asked, cheerfully. I shrugged.

"Port Angeles...Why, you wanna come with?" I found myself asking without my brain's permission and I blushed slightly. His face, however lit up like a fucking Christmas tree and he was in the car with the door closed in less than three seconds. I stared at him surprised by his speed as well as his eagerness. He grinned at me sheepishly.

"That's, uh, be great...if you don't mind, I mean." he spluttered, realizing I noticed his overeagerness. I smiled and shrugged, playing it off.

"Yeah, sure, I offered didn't I?" I reminded him, grinning. He returned my grin and nodded, buckling his belt.

"Yeah...So what are we going for?" he asked curiously as I started out of La Push again.

"I just painted Alex's bedroom. I need to get some stuff for it before it's finished and I know I won't get it in Forks. PA was my best option other than Seattle and I really don't have the energy or the patience to make that drive today." I told him, dryly. He smiled and nodded.

"That's awfully nice of you to paint the nursery. Do you think I could take a look when we get back, I mean, if you don't mind?" he asked, shyly. I glanced at him and shrugged.

"Sure, why not?" I agreed. He smiled wider.

The drive to Port Angeles was actually a lot more fun and carefree than I had expected it to be. Seth was just so easy to be around and I noticed that I lost myself in his presence. I didn't know whether that revelation scared and elated me but for now, I pushed it to the back of my mind, concentrating on the debate happening between us about the educational properties of Sponge-bob Square-pants. I'd never liked the show. I thought it was weird and it never agreed with me whenever it was on TV, wherever I was. His sickening cheerfulness always grated me the wrong way. Seth, however, loved it and still watches it on Saturday mornings, apparently.

"Seriously, Dude, how can you not like him?" he whined, turning to face me more in his seat. I rolled his eyes.

"He's too cheerful. He freaks me out." I told him yet again.

"Yeah but I just don't get it. How can being too cheerful freak someone out?" he asked, utterly confused. I rolled my eyes and didn't reply. He turned to look ahead again before suddenly snapping his face to look at me again, his eyes bright with excitement. This couldn't be good... "We should totally have a Sponge-bob marathon sometime!"

"Uh, hell no. I don't think so." I declined, adamantly. He whined.

"Come on, please? Give me one Saturday afternoon to prove to you how great the show is. Either you'll prove me wrong, which I don't think you will, or you'll have to admit that I'm right." he stipulated, grinning slyly. I rolled my eyes and tried to avoid his sickeningly cute puppy dog eyes. But alas, my eyes gravitated towards them and I groaned, closing my eyes. His shout of triumph told em he knew I'd just caved.

"Fine but it sucks like I know it's going to, you'll owe me." I warned him, sternly. He grinned impishly and shrugged, turning forwards in his seat, self-satisfied. I sighed.

"That's fine but we both know I'm right." he said, confidently. I just didn't reply.

A few minutes later, Seth turned on the radio and began to sing obnoxiously along with the songs. I'd never actually seen him this free and calm before. Sure, he was always happy but even then, he never seemed to let go like this. I found myself watching and laughing with him for the entire drive as he sung and told jokes. It was one of the best drives of my life. Honestly. About thirty minutes later, we found ourselves pulling into a baby ware shop in the centre of PA. It was bigger than I expected it to be and thought that we had a bigger chance of finding what I needed than I'd originally thought. Seth stayed close to my side as we traversed through the throngs of people within the store. I had no idea where I was going, figuring I'd find what I was looking for whenever I came across it.

Meanwhile, I enjoyed the closeness of Seth beside me. We walked calmly and almost naturally side by side and it was refreshing in some way. I could smell him from the short distance between us and the heat from his body kept me warm as we shopped. Every so often, his hand would brush mine and it would tingle, shooting up my arm. I had to suppress a shiver every time but on some occasions, I doubt I was able to hide it successfully. Seth was smiling the entire time, as if he was having the time of his life simply walking and looking at shelf after shelf of baby paraphernalia. He was such a weird kid.

"Chris, what exactly are you looking for? I swear we've been down this isle before." Seth asked, peering up and down said isle in confusion. I sighed. This was harder than I expected.

"Well...I'm not quite sure. I've never shopped for a baby before." I mumbled, embarrassed for leading him on this wild goose chase. As if sensing my distress, he stopped walking, halting my as he grasped my hand gently and made me look up at him.

"Hey, don't worry about it, okay? Just tell me why we're here and I'll search for it. Some of my brothers have had kids so I'm more experienced at finding baby stuff." he explained, softly as he smiled at me. I sighed and nodded, glancing down at our clasped hands as shock wave after shock wave coursed up my arm. This time, I couldn't hide the shiver that surged through me and I could his smirk before he covered it. Shit.

"Right...uh, why are we here? I guess I needed something for the crib. Like a blanket or whatever. Erm...maybe some little cushions for the armchair they have in the room as well." I told him, vaguely. He smiled again and nodded before pulling me gently by the arm down the isle. I followed him obediently, my eyes fixed on our hands that hadn't let go yet. I contemplated letting it go but the thought wasn't so appealing to me right now. The shock waves, however, were very welcome right now. I'd never felt this high before.

My eyes were still glued to our hands as he stopped us I front of some shelves a few isles down. He squeezed my hands to divert my attention to in front of me and I blushed slightly at being caught staring, even if it was just at his hand. He smiled at me reassuringly as if he knew why I was blushing before nodding towards the shelves. I glanced over them.

"There, these are all the blankets and crib stuff. You should find something you want here." he informed me, looking as well. Now I knew where to look, many things jumped out at me. Nothing felt like the right thing though so I kept scanning until my eyes locked on something that matched the nursery theme perfectly. I reached towards the top shelf where it resided but Seth beat me to it, lifting it down for me. I smiled in thanks at him briefly before locking my eyes back with the product. Seth looked at it over my shoulder.

"It looks pretty. Polka dots?" he asked, smiling at me. I nodded and smiled back.

"Yeah, it's a perfect match actually. Is there anything else here with this pattern?" I asked, looking back at the shelves.

I was holding a blanket in my hands but it turned out that there was also a thicker comforter, small pillow and a stuffed animal with the same pattern. She also found a few types of cushions for armchairs and shit, picking one out when I told him to. We found other little things like baby bags and changing table covers with the same pattern and I just had to get it all. They fit so perfectly and I felt like Rachel and Alex both deserved everything I bought.

"So have you got everything?" Seth asked me, cocking an eyebrow at the full cart in front of me. I smiled sheepishly.

"You're bored, aren't you? I'm sorry. I should have let you stay home." I apologised, blushing. He frowned and shook his head.

"What? No, I'm not bored. It was just a question. Do you think you need anything else?" he asked, glancing around. I shrugged.

"No, as long as we don't come across anything between here and the checkout." I told him, pushing the cart in that direction. He nodded and followed obediently.

All of my purchases came up to a resounding $430 but I didn't care. I knew that everything was worth the money and it wasn't really such a big deal to me anyway. I rarely spent it on myself so why not spend it on others, especially Rachel and my new nephew. Seth insisted that he pay half but I declined, handing over my credit card to the clerk with a smirking in Seth's direction. The clerk giggled at us as if something was amusing but I didn't get it at all.

"So when did you adopt?" she asked, brightly. Her smile was wide and excited. I frowned at her, utterly confused by her question. Adopt? Who adopted? Seth chuckled beside me.

"A couple of days ago." he replied, confusing me even further. She 'aww'd.

"That's so cute! You guys look like you'll be great fathers." she gushed, bagging our items. Something inside me was catching onto what she was saying but my brain wasn't quite there yet.

"What are you talking about? Who adop-"

"Ignore him. It's all be intense after we brought the baby home and it's gotten to him a little. And he was up last night with the baby too so he's exhausted." Seth explained to her and she nodded her head, smiling at me sympathetically.

"Baby home? Up all night? Seth, what are you-?"

"See, he's so confused." he cut me off, pulling me into his arms and kissing the side of my head. "I'm keeping him sane though."

"It's gotta be hard, raising a baby as a gay couple. Do the neighbours talk and stuff?" she asked, completely transfixed. My eyes widened as the words 'gay couple' left her mouth and my mind was reeling. What the hell was she talking about? Why did it seem like they were talking in some kind of anti-Chris code? Why was Seth holding me so close and..._nuzzling my ear?_ Oh God, that felt surprisingly good...

"No, our family and neighbours are great with our relationship; very happy for us, right Babe?" he asked. It took em a second to realise he was talking to _me_! I frowned up at him and saw the intense mirth and laughter in his eyes. It on;y served to confuse me further.

"What-?"

"You know...How all the people back home don't bat an eyelid at us being together and when we adopted?" he prompted, raising his eyebrows as a devilish smirk over took his mouth. The clerk was watching us adoringly and suddenly, everything clicked into place.

My eyes widened, peering into his laughing ones before turning to the clerk. She smiled brightly. She thought- He was saying- Adoption- Couple- WHAT?

"Well, thanks for the chat but we've got to get back to La Push now. We let our son with some friends and said we wouldn't be long." Seth told the girl, sweetly. She smiled and nodded.

"Oh, of course. Sorry to keep you." she apologised, waving as Seth pushed me towards the store entrance.

My feet were on autopilot at the moment as my scrambled mind tried to catch up on everything that had just happened. I'm sure that my face was a comical picture but I couldn't bring myself to care. That girl, she thought...Seth and I were a couple? She thought the baby stuff was for _our_ baby? AND SETH ENCOURAGED HER! What the fuck did that mean? Why was I freaking out about this so much? He called me Babe! No one has ever called me Babe, not even Molly! Left the baby with a friend? He was _their_ baby!

Whilst I had a mental breakdown stood outside the drivers side door of my car, Seth pranced around it, putting overflowing bags of baby products into the trunk, laughing quietly to himself as if this was all some sort of joke. I guess it was, at my expense. I frowned at that. Why would Seth laugh at me like this? Why would he want to lie about it all I the first place?

Two warm arms wrapped around my waist after a few seconds of silence and my body was being pressed lightly into the car behind me. I closed my eyes at the warmth seeping from Seth and into me, sighing in contentment. Until everything crashed into me again and I pushed him away, gasping. He staggered back, surprised.

"Chris, what-?"  
"What the hell was that in there?" I demanded, shocked and irritated. Seth chuckled and held his hands up in surrender, approaching me slowly. I frowned at him.

"Easy, Chris, calm down. It was just a little game." he told me, grinning. I glared at him angrily.

"So what? It was just a little joke at my expense?" I asked, scowling. He frowned before gasping, realising where I was coming from. He shook his head vehemently, resting his hands on my waist again. I made no move to stop or move him as he stepped closer. My heart was hammering in my chest and his proximity and warmth were making me sweat. My breathing spiked but I tried not to the show it.

"Chris, no, not at _your_ expense. At _hers_. She was so clueless. I couldn't help playing around with her." he told me, softly. I frowned, not believing him. I turned my face away. He turned it back. "Hey, I meant no harm, Chris. I swear. It was just a little joke on _her_, not you, I promise." he soothed me, smiling apologetically.

"That was really shitty joke." I mumbled, annoyed. He shrugged and nodded.

"Maybe...but it got her right? She believed it." she chuckled, half-heartedly. I knew he was trying to cheer me up but I still felt like he was laughing at me a little bit. "hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you upset or anything...I'm sorry."

his voice was so low and berated. He sounded so sad and withdrawn, so unlike his usual upbeat self. I frowned to myself, finding that I didn't like this Seth. Sad Seth was heartbreaking and he had to go. I sighed and relaxed myself, letting all the frustration and irritation seep out of me so that I could reassure him that I was fine. He felt me relax and sighed in relief, leaning his head forwards to rest it on my shoulder. The intimate touch made me freeze slightly, which made him tense but when I relaxed again, he did too, remaining where he was.

"Fine,...It's okay. I guess it _was_ kinda funny but let's just forget about it. I wanna go home. "I told him, quietly. He nodded.

"I'm really sorry."

"Don't worry about it. Come on." I urged him, pressing on the top of his head gently. Slowly, he lifted his head, his cheek brushing against mine. I gasped and clutched at his arms tighter, not expecting the waves of pleasure to course through me at the sensation. His face lifted but his body never moved back, keeping us closer than ever before, closer than what maybe I was comfortable with but I never moved or pushed him away. I was frozen on the spot, calculating his next move.

His hand crept up, skimming across my collar bone before coming to rest on my neck. His fingers tickled as his slid his hand up further and my eyes closed on their own accord. I was mortified at the moan that escaped my throat and now, I daren't open my eyes in case I see the intense look of disgust the noise enticed from his face. But his hand never stopped, cupping my cheek as his thumb traced the edges of my partially parted lips. My mouth was dry as a bone and I couldn't think one single coherent though right now. He brushed my full bottom lip, pressing on it slightly and pulling another breathy moan from my throat in the process. I swear I heard my name as a whisper on his lips but discarded the possibility.

Nothing could have prepared me for what he did next...

he cupped the back of my neck, holding me in pace his the lightest, most feather-like touch of his lips passed along mine. Had I not been so overly sensitive to his touch already, I would have missed it completely but I flt it and was utterly, bitterly disappointed when his lips didn't pursed until they reached the corner of my lips. It was the most frustrating kiss over my life and it wasn't even classed as one! My fingertips dug into his shoulders as my body reacted to him. I had no control over it. It was like had the remote control for my functioning. My jeans became tighter and I was, again, mortified at the fact that he could feel it as he pressed against me. Though, I don't know what mortified me more, the knowledge of my erection or the feeling of his pressing against my stomach.

_I made him hard_.

Never in my life had I even thought about invoking such a reaction out of another man but right now, here with Seth, it was the most erotic thing I'd ever done. The knowledge that I could make him as vulnerable as I was right now gave me power that I'd never known before. I revelled in it, liking its presence.

I don't know how long we stood there for, or how much attention we must have been attracting but when Seth began to pull back from me, I felt a coldness I'd never felt before creep into his place. My eyes remained closed, unable to look him in the eye right now as he stepped completely away from me after one last caress of my cheek. I listened but he didn't utter a single word, choosing to walk around the car to the passenger side and get in, rather tan address what the fuck just happened between us.

I stayed frozen, plastered to the side of my door as I tried to recapture my breath and slow my frantic heart. Thoughts and feelings plagued my heart and mind that I wasn't familiar with – pressing my lips against his, somehow knowing that I would enjoy it despite the fact that I'd never kissed a guy before. Then I asked myself why I was thinking that. I couldn't answer. Confusion, hesitance, bitter disappointment and somehow, hope circulated in my chest like a fucking record as I tried to make sense of my body's reaction to him and why. I couldn't understand the bitter disappointment I was feeling. What was I disappointed about? That he'd initiated something so...intimate? That he'd tried to kiss me? Or was it because he didn't actually _kiss_ me? Was I disappointed that he didn't press his lips to mine?

I swallowed hard, biting my lip as the realisation of that exploded in my mind. I _was_ disappointed that he hadn't kissed me. What the fuck? Since when did I want any guy to kiss me? I couldn't deny to myself what I was thinking and feeling though. I wanted him to kiss me and when he didn't, I wished that he had. I shook my head to clear it of its nonsense, knowing that Seth was in the car waiting for me to pull the stick out of my ass and drive us back home. I scrubbed my face twice before pushing off the car. I hesitated with my hand on the door handle but then pulled it open and hopped in.

There was total silence as I started the car. Neither of us could bear looking at the other and it saddened me that, after such an amazing day, we were back to this awkward silence that always seemed to occur between us. I drove for about five minutes, not wanting to head home yet because that would mean our time would be up, when Seth's low, hesitant voice filled the car, making me jump.

"Sorry...Do you mind if we go eat somewhere? I'm starving." he requested, smiling hesitantly at me. I locked his gaze for a minute, seeing the lightness that was always there behind the hesitance. I couldn't decipher whether or not he liked what just happened or whether he was regretting it. I took a deep breath and smiled back, lightly as I nodded my head.

"Um, sure. Where do you want to go?" I asked, glancing around the street we were on.

"There's a small, cosy café down at the end of this street. On the corner." he informed me, pointing in the right direction. I nodded silently and drove over to it. Seth was out the car in no time and waited by my door for me. I vaguely remembered that time where he opened my door for me. Would I hate it as much now if he did it? Shaking the thought away, I shoved my door open and hopped out.

Silently (I'm seeing a pattern here) we walked into the café. I followed him to a booth in the corner and he allowed me to slide in first. I nodded in thanks and started when he slid in the same side as me when I was situated. He smield at me, shyly before picking up a menu. I watched him for a second, biting his lip with the look of pure concentration on his face before doing the same as him. A waiter was soon beside our table, asking for our orders. I followed Seth's lead in ordering the steak and fries with a large coke and some apple pie (though he ordered cherry) and then when the waiter left, silence enveloped us again.

I decided to distract myself by spinning the menu on one of its corners atop the table and he watched me from the corner of his eyes. I didn't even have to look at him to know because I could feel his eyes on my skin. The silence was almost suffocating when he broke it once again.

"listen, Chris...About what happened at the car back the-"

"Don't. It's fine, Seth. Don't worry about it." I cut him off, sensing the awkward conversation that was being laid out before us. I peered over and smiled at him gently. He looked doubtful.

"No, I do worry about it...I-I didn't mean to make you...uncomfortable or confuse you or anything. I just...I couldn't seem to...help myself." he admitted, blushing dark crimson as he turned away from me. His hands twiddled in front of him on the table and I looked at him in shock at his words. He couldn't help himself? What the hell does that mean?

"Um...Right, okay..." was my smart response but come on, what the fuck to say in response to that?

"I'm sorry." he whispered into the table, looking ashamed of himself as well as saddened. I frowned. I didn't want him to worry about it so much. I hated the frown on his face. It didn't belong there. Before I could stop myself, I reached over and took one of his hands in mine. He froze slightly,looking at me in slight shock before squeezing my hand and smiling lightly.

"I said don't worry about it...It happened; it can't un-happen. It's in the past so stop worrying about. I hate it when you frown." I added, lowly. As if it was the cure, his frown dissipated and a smile graced his handsome features. "Okay, so enough of the heavy. I've had too much heavy in my life."

he grinned then and chuckled. "Yeah, I suppose you have...Okay, enough of that." he agreed, squeezing my hand before lacing his fingers with mine. It surprised me but it surprised em even more to realise that I liked it and made no move to remove them. I glanced at Seth's self-satisfied smirk and I chuckled, shaking my head just as the waiter came over with our meal.

Conversation was light from that moment on. Seth told me more about the workings of his family and I found that his mom, Sue, was even more a of a gem than I'd thought. She reminded me of all those fantasies and thoughts I had about how my own mother would be and to see them all personified in this one woman was amazing and mind-boggling. Seth was a lucky guy. He could chat the ear off a room full of people given half the chance. The whole time in the café was dominated by his voice, not that I was complaining. He was so animated when he spoke, especially about his family, but about anything, his eyes would light up and a small smile would grace his lips. Watching him was a pleasure I'd never felt before.

He also did the impossible – he made me laugh, like full on belly laugh. I'm sure we attracted way too much attention but at the time, I didn't care. He told me stories about the antics of his hero, Jacob and his friends. I knew that entailed Embry as well and I appreciated the fact that he never mentioned his name. I was also glad that he said nothing about Sam. All the others though, he dished stuff out on them like cotton candy to a kid. The stuff that they all get on with was hilarious. I'd never laughed so much in my life. It was liberating. My appreciation of Seth spiked when he set me free if only for a few hours.

By the time it was time to head back to La Push, it was eight in the evening. I didn't realise the time at all but I didn't care. Like on the drive to PA, Seth demonstrated his awfully, tone deaf singing abilities as I laughed along and before we knew it, we were pulling up outside Paul and Rachel's house. No lights were on so Paul was probably still with Rachel and Alex at the hospital. Seth helped me take all the bags out the trunk of Kenna's car, dumping them all in the hallway as we stepped in through the front door. Yep, definitely no one home.

"So...can I see what you did with the nursery?" Seth asked, hopefully. His smile was wide and his eyes adorable. I couldn't say no. I sighed, rolling my eyes as I gestured towards the stairs. He grinned and shot up them, leaving me to carry up all the bags. "Holy shit, this is amazing! Did you paint all this by yourself?"

"Oh, yeah, it's nothing really." I mumbled, shyly. He turned to me with an incredulous look.

"Dude, this is amazing. Credit should be given where it's due." he said, stepping further into Alex's room. I smiled to myself, revelling in his praise that meant more to me than I was willing to admit.

I glanced around the room again, smiling wider. It really was great, if I do say so myself. I was proud of this room. The design, which was dark brown and baby blue polka dots on a background of pastel blue and beige vertical stripes, had dried well and looked amazing. A couple of walls were painted chocolate brown and I had even designed and painted Alex's name on one of the walls, identifying the room as his. I began to unpack all the stuff we'd bought from Port Angeles, applying it to the right places and designing it exactly how I wanted it. I guess Rachel could rearrange everything if she wanted to but for now, it was being organised how my mind's eye saw it and both me and Seth loved how it turned out. We placed the cot in front of the patterned wall, padding it out with all the crib stuff that matched the design of the room to the 'T'. after shuffling a few other pieces of furniture about, I deemed the room complete and I couldn't wait to showcase it to Alex and my siblings tomorrow.

"You've done a fantastic job in here, Chris. Paul and Rachel are going to blow their lids at this." Seth laughed, peering around the room one last time before I closed the door. I blushed.

"Thanks. I just wanted to do something special for them, you know." I mumbled, shrugging.

"Well, they'll love it." he repeated, grinning. I nodded.

"You hungry? We could order pizza and watch a movie or something if you wanted?" I offered, hesitantly. He smiled and nodded at me.

"Yeah, sure, that'd be awesome. Shall I order or do you want to?" he asked, reaching for the phone as we walked into the kitchen. I shrugged.

"You can order. I'll pick the movie." I told him, leaving him to it as I walked into the living room.

I picked out a random movie and put it in the blue-ray player. I didn't pay any attention to the title screen as I replayed through every event of the day. Letting Seth climb into the car and accompany me to Port Angeles had to be the best decision of my day. He made the trip much more fun than I knew I was going to be had I gone on my own. He made me smile wider than I'd ever done before, he made me laugh for real for the first time in God knows how many years, he's made me feel things that are so foreign to me but felt so right and still do. Was there nothing that Seth couldn't do?

I startled when a heavy, warm body flopped down on the couch beside me. Seth smiled over at me, sheepishly as a small chuckle escaped his throat. "Sorry. Deep in thought?" h asked, curiously. I shrugged.

"Just thinking about today." I mumbled.

"Any part in particular?" he asked, bravely. My eyes snapped to his and I knew he meant the part at the car. I played dumb though.

"Not really. Just all of it." I replied, nonchalantly. He nodded but smirked as if he could read my mind.

"Yeah, it was an awesome day." he mused, nodding. I smiled.

"Which part?" I mocked but the look he gave me told me he knew I knew which part. A shiver shot through my body as I turned to look back at the screen. I heard him chuckle and snuggle further into the couch, somehow moving closer to me in the process. I could feel his warm arm pressed lightly against mine and I closed my eyes as that familiar spark hummed over my skin.

We watched the movie distractedly, feeling the elephant in the room that tried to constantly squeeze itself to sit between us, as if to make itself even more obvious. When the pizza came, I shot up faster from my seat than considered sane but I needed the distraction. Seth watched me pay for the pizza and walk back into the room with three large pepperoni, mushroom and mozzarella cheese pizzas.

"Why'd you get three?" I asked, curiously. He shrugged.

"I eat a lot." was his only explanation. I shrugged and nodded, handing over one of the pizzas.

Thankfully, eating was a welcome distraction and the both of us was actually able to concentrate on the movie, of which I still didn't know the name of. It was some sort of action movie but that didn't mean much. They were all the same to me – explosions, cars, guns, slow action shots, terrorists and shit like that. I noticed yet again how much these La Push guys could eat. Seth had polished off his first pizza before I'd finished half of mine. When I was finished with my first, he'd already eaten half of the third one. He offered me some it it and I took a slice but there wasn't much more that I could stomach right now.

At one point, I got up to get us some beers and when the first ones were downed, things began to ease out between us once again, more chilled. We put in a second movie as I glanced at the clock. Paul probably wasn't coming home tonight, opting to stay at the hospital with Rachel and the baby. I didn't blame him, to be honest. It was training heavily outside with sporadic rumbles of thunder. I knew that Rachel was afraid of thunderstorms so there was no way that he was going to leave her. It was pretty bad outside so I decided to just stay here in the guest room.

"So hey, when do you have to get home? I'll drive you if you want." I offered as the second movie finished around ten to midnight. Seth looked over at me and shrugged but his face was sad. He tried to hide it but his eyes don't lie. He didn't want to leave. Could I survive him staying over here tonight? Could I survive that elephant that was constantly glaring at us from the corner of every room we walked into?

"Oh, um, I don't really have a time I need to be back by. Mom's pretty lenient on that. I just need to call her if it gets too late or if...I'm staying out." he explained, shrugging. I nodded.

"You should call her then." I suggested, glancing at the clock. I didn't know what I was saying to tell her, whether he was on his way home or whether he was staying over here. My mind was still frozen in that respect.

"What...should I say?" he murmured, looking down at his hands nervously. I watched him for a second.

"Whatever you want." I replied nonchalantly, turning to sort out the electronics behind me and turn them off for the night. I'd leave it up to him to decide what he wanted to do. I wouldn't suggest anything.

"Um, o-okay." he replied, nervously. I heard him leave the room and I sighed in irritation and disappointment. He was going to tell his mom that he was on his way home and here I was wanting him to stay. I'm such a fucking indecisive jackass. I wouldn't force myself onto him though, despite my desire to. He shouldn't even be around me but he insists so beautifully.

I was still slumped beside the sofa, having a self pity party when Seth waltzed back in. he seemed nervous still and I climbed to my feet. "I better call my house to tell the Marvins I'm staying over here...I don't want them to worry or anything." I said, walking past him swiftly. He watched me go and disappear into the kitchen.

I swallowed hard and phoned the Marvins. Scott appreciated that I'd called him, even though he or Kenna had any say over what I did any more. They were still worried though and I'd eased that. We said goodnight and hung up. I lent heavily on the wall in the kitchen for a second, knowing once again that Seth and I were left to our own devices. My head was so scrambled right now. My heart wanted things that my head was wary to obtain and I was just so confused.

Walking back towards the living room where I knew Seth was sitting, I picked Kenna's cars keys up along the way, knowing that he would want to go home now. Seth was sat on the sofa, staring absently at the blank TV screen when I entered but his eyes snapped over to me. He smiled brightly before it faltered, spotting the keys in my hands. He frowned to myself and cleared his throat.

"Um...Why'd you have your keys?" he asked, hesitantly and slightly fearful. I shrugged.

"I figured you'd want to go home. Isn't that what you told your Mom?" I asked, confused. He wavered.

"I, erm...I mean, is that what you wanted for me to tell her?" he asked, frightfully. I shrugged.

"I said to tell her anything you wanted."

"Right...Well, I kinda sorta told her that...I was staying here?" his voice spiked up an octave as if asking a question and I looked at him shocked. He saw my expression and blushed, rushing up to his feet, flustered. "Shit, you don't want me to stay. That was your way of saying it nicely. Shit. Okay, you can take me home then. I, uh, don't mind. I'm sorry for assuming and misreading you. I can go home if you want."

I took a few steps towards him that froze him in place, his eyes were like a deer's caught in headlights and I had to chuckle at the sight. The sound seemed to relax Seth a bit into deep confusion. I sighed and threw my keys onto the coffee table. He watched the keys as he went, baffled. I smiled and him and shrugged.

"I don't care that you said you'd stay. I just figured you'd want to go home. Really, you can stay." I told him, chuckling. He looked doubtful and watched me for any signs of deceit. I raised my eyebrows and he relaxed completely, smiling brightly.

"Okay...I'm sorry for assuming."

"You assumed right so...don't apologise." I told him. "Where do you wanna sleep?"

"Oh, uh...I'm not sure. Where do you wanna sleep?" he asked, frowning. I shrugged.

"You could take the guest room and I'll take the couch." I offered, casually. He frowned, shaking his head.

"No, I'll take the couch."

"I don't mind. I'll take the couch."

"No-"

"How about I take Paul's bed and you take the guest room?" I cut him off, not wanting to argue with him and knowing that Paul wouldn't mind. I'd done it before when he was out with Rachel for the night. His bed accommodated my height better than the guest bed.

"Would Paul kick your ass for that?" he chuckled. I grinned.

"Nah, I've done it before. It's no big."

He shrugged. "Alright then. I'll take the guest bedroom...I'll, uh, see you tomorrow?"

"You sure will...Night Seth." I murmured, letting him pass me towards the stairs. I watched him ascend them, catching his 'subtle' glance back at me as he reached the top as well as the blush that coated his cheeks at being caught looking at me. That similar blush coated mine as well as I realised that he'd also seen _me_ looking at _him_.

I shook myself off and sighed, deciding to get ready for bed. The bathroom was empty when I got to it so I went in and closed the door, locking it before starting the shower. The water felt amazing on my achy body and I stayed under it for a good twenty minutes before exhaustion crept up on me again. I dried slowly and pulled on my black boxer briefs and a grey tank top. That's all I ever slept in anyway. Opening the bathroom door, I didn't noticed that the door opposite opened at exactly the same time until I heard the startled, strangled gasp from the other side of the hall.

My head snapped up, my eyes widening at the sight of Seth. His eyes raked over my body intensely, as if I was his one desire and that's when I noticed that he was dressed similarly to me. His white boxer briefs clung to his thick, muscular thighs like a second skin and the little pouch at his crotch left nothing to the imagination. His black tank top melded to his skin. I felt my mouth water at the sight of it and then, right before my eyes, it seemed to grow to pitch a pretty hefty tent. My eyes bulged at the size of it before they raked up his ripped abs and tight pectorals to come face to face with a heavy lidded Seth.

My breath hitched as I took in the emotions in his eyes. They were so intense that I was surprised I didn't catch alight. I've never been in this situation before so all I could do was stand frozen in the middle of the bathroom doorway, watching him for movement but he was as glaciated as I was. Under the intensity of his gaze, my boxer briefs began to feel tighter and tighter until that familiar ache in my groin had me shifting slightly.

I had to get out of there before I made a fool of myself.

I ducked my head, embarrassed for being so vulnerable in front of him and made to walk down the hall towards Paul and Rachel's bedroom. I got about three steps before a hot, large hand clasped around my hip, turning me swiftly before I was pressed into the hallway wall. I gasped, clutching his waist as my eyes connected with Seth's fiery ones. My mouth dried and I licked my lips to moisten them but in this current situation, I knew that that was a bad idea. His eyes flickered down to my lips and he licked his in response. His hands came up to cage my head to the wall at either side and a moan forced its way from my chest as his pressed against me. We were skin to skin and it never felt this amazing before. A brush of arms and holding hands was the extent of our physical connection but this, it brought it to a whole other level. Nothing compared to this.

"Chris...do you have any idea what you do to me?" Seth whined in my ear, pressing his entire body against mine,. I groaned as his erection nudged mine, sending pleasurable shock waves up my spine and down to my balls. "You look so fuck hot...I can hardly stand it."

His hot breath was cascading down the side of my neck, raising goosebumps and making it impossible for me to respond other than to moan. Noise after noise escaped my throat as I threw my head back to accommodate him further. He nipped at my earlobe, sucking on it gently before trailing hot, wet kisses down my neck. He licked my collarbone, abruptly biting it softly before laving it with his tongue once again.

"Ah, fuck, Seth...Oh God. " I groaned, breathlessly.

He traced my jaw line with his nose, inhaling deeply. I trembled in his hold, trying to anticipate what his next move was going to be but when he bit my pulse point, black spots flashed before my eyes as I moaned embarrassingly loud, pulling him closer to me. It happened so fast that I couldn't stop it if I wanted to but the net thing I knew, his lips were crashed against mine and he was kissing me insistently.

What the fuck?

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**I know! I'm so cruel for leaving it there and I have no excuse for it! I just did it! It felt right. Maybe not to yu guys but to me, it did! Sorry!**

**Please review and tell me what you think! Are they moving to slow? Too fast? How do you think Chris should react about the kiss in the next chapter?**

**Also, could you go on my profile and click on my new non-story 'It's All About You'? It's just a collection of chapter samples from different stories I want to write but I'm not sure which to publish. It would be a great help if you could review the ones that you like so I have a rough idea of what you guys want. Thanks!**

**Love  
****MrsWolfPack  
****x**


	15. In Control

**Hey, hey, my lovelies!**

**Thank you to those of you who reviewed! They made my day! I know that it was cruel to end it there but oh well…**

**There's slash in this chapter (if you haven't already guessed) I'm giving you warning now. Thanks! Oh! And this is actually my first ever attempt at stuff between two guys so please be nice and I'll appreciate the feedback from it as well :D**

**The picture of Alex's nursery is being awkward. It will not upload on Photobucket so just bear with me. It will be up though.**

**There's also a new poll that I want you guys to vote on. It's what you want me to write next. In addition to the poll, there's a 'story' on my profile with examples of each choice if you want to check them out before you vote. It's greatly appreciated! :D Thanks!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own twilight! At all! D:**

**Without further ado...Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 14**

**In Control**

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**Chris' Point of View**

Throughout my entire life, I never expected to receive such an intense wave of shock, pleasure and lust from anyone at the same time, let alone another guy.

But as Seth's lips caressed and teased my own, I couldn't help but revel in those feelings surging throughout my entire body, touching every cell like an electric shock and making me come alive, more alive than I've ever felt. They were so powerful, so raw that they were damn nea5r impossible to fight or ignore. You had to succumb to them, bow to them as they crippled you under their strength.

And that's exactly what I did…

My knees buckled below me and I was certain that, had I not been crushed against a hard walls and this amazingly scorching creature, I'd likely to be on my knees before him, almost as if I was worshipping at his feet. Anyone who could ignite anything remotely close to these feelings in someone has to be some sort of God, or at least a demigod.

A moan bubbled from my mouth into his as a warm, wet tongue poked insistently at my lips, pleading for entrance. I couldn't stop myself if I even wanted to as my lips parted slightly, my tongue thrusting out eagerly to meet his own in the middle, wet against wet; soft against soft. He was the one to moan and whimper this time.

The sound vibrated against my chest as it forced its way out of his. I crushed him against me, my arms like a vice grip around his shoulders, neck and head so he had no means whatsoever of escape. I wouldn't let him escape. Our tongues fought for dominance for a while, something that neither of us seemed to be willing to give up to the other. Victory soon became mine though as the tip of my tongue flicked and teased against the roof of his mouth before I literally bit his tongue into submission.

A growling moan raged within his chest whilst his body melted into mine completely, like the air had been deflated from him. I took his momentary weakness and used it to my advantage, shoving _his_ body with mine against the wall so he was crushed between us. He gasped in surprised and whined wantonly. It was like every sound he made was spoken directly to my cock, like a shock of electricity shooting from the base to tip. I could feel the wet stain on my boxers where the pre-cum had leaked from the tip of my cock and it ached pitifully, painfully.

He clawed me closer, his arms wrapping around my waist to cup and grope my ass cheeks, pulling me into him so our cocks nudged and teased one another. My hips bucked on their own accord, thrusting into him and the seeming never ending amounts of please he could invoke within me. I wanted more, I _needed_ more.

"Ah, fuck, Chris, yes!" Seth shouted loudly as I thrust and pressed against him, harder, moving so every inch of me was flushed against him.

It was then that I looked at him properly for the truest first time since meeting him; taking in every detail I could, to commit it to memory. His face was rounded, child-like almost despite his eighteen years; his skin flushed deep red with desire and lust. His plump, full lips were open in ecstasy as I continued to rock lazily into him and his hair was ruffled, sex hair that begged me to run my fingers through it. Again. He had the tiniest freckles over his right eyebrow and his left jaw, calling out to be licked by me but I refrained, peering up into his dark, obsidian eyes that were black with lust and desire and hooded, trained on me intently.

"Fuck, you are so beautiful." I breathed, awestruck by how true those words really were. His eyes widened slightly and I could see the surprise, pride and shyness shining in them, clouded only by his lust and something else that I wasn't quite ready to acknowledge yet, not just yet.

"Chris…please…just, please!" he panted heavily, closing his eyes in desperation. I didn't know what he wanted from me.

"What is it, Seth? What do you want from me?" I asked. I didn't say it to make him bed; I was genuinely confused but I'd be a fucking liar if I said I didn't love the begging pants and moans escaping his throat or the whines of need he sent my way. That shit felt good…I felt powerful and in control.

"Urgh, Chris, I want you…I _need_ you! Please, please…" he whimpered, almost painfully. The words shocked but excited me at the same time. He was begging me.

"Shit." I panted as image after image of what he could possibly want me to do to him flashed through my mind…of what _I_ wanted to do so fucking much to _him_. Fuck, I wanted to so much.

My hands stroked down his chest, to his hips where they squeezed hard. I wanted to hear him moan for me but all I got was a whimper. My hands dipped lower, trailing and teasing the backs of his thighs slowly and he trembled in my arms violently. My hands squeezed his hands cheeks, lifting him into me. He gasped, grasping my shoulders for support, as if I would ever drop him, whilst his thick, strong legs circled my waist, ankles locking at the small of my back. He rhythmically pulled me into him as he rocked his hips, maintaining that on-going torturing bliss and pleasure.

I could feel a coil tightening in my groin and stomach. The tighter it tensed, the more and more my balls clenched and ached for release.

"Yes…uh, yes…Fuck, yes please…don't st-stop. K-keep going, please." He cried out, clenching my hair in his fists, painfully. I revelled in the pain, delirious to know that it added to my own pleasure. I buried my face into his neck, rocking into him harder and faster until I could barely hold on any longer.

"Oh God, I…Chris, I'm gonna c-cuuurgh!" he screamed, throwing his head back as he shouted my name, cumin hard in his boxer briefs. The pure look of euphoria that twisted his face as a tiny slither of tongue that peeked out to wave at me and his thick thighs tightening around my hips were the last straws for me and I exploded in my own pants, groaning into his warm neck as I jerked against him.

My mind flashed and I couldn't think one coherent thought to save my life. I felt like jelly and my legs were barely keeping me up right now. I trembled against him, not used to the overload of emotion. I prided myself on being the master of hiding and cloaking my emotions and to be so vulnerable like I just was, it was foreign to me. Seth's warm hands rubbed my back up and down and I could vaguely hear his low murmurs in my ear. When my heart and breathing calmed down, I could think right again

"Chris?" Seth's fearful voice inquired in my ear. He raked his fingers softly through my hair, making me moan slightly. "It's okay…I've got you. You're fine."

Occasional jerks surged through my body as I lifted my head to peer hesitantly into his eyes. They were bright and open to show every single piece of emotion he was feeling. I gasped slightly as the friendship, lust, adoration and happiness reflecting back at me and just like before, I couldn't help myself. I leaned forward, capturing my lips with his softly.

He gasped lowly before melting against, pursing his lips against mine so we were dancing in synch with each other. His hands cupped my face so he could press his lips slightly harder to mine and before I even realised what I was doing, I was lifting him from the wall, causing him to tense and hold me tighter so that he wouldn't fall, and walking him towards the stairs.

"Where are we going?" he whispered, biting his lip. I kissed him again, forcing him to release it.

"I'm not sure yet." I replied with my lips still against his. He moaned as my warm breath ghosted into his mouth. He kissed me more feverishly, stroking his tongue against me again. I moaned and kissed him back, walking blindly up the stairs and down the hallway. I vaguely noticed a door opening before I was pressing him into a mattress and trailing open mouthed, wet kisses down his jaw and neck.

"Mmm, Chris…feels nice." He murmured, tilting his head back as he played with my hair, sifting his fingers through the strands.

He whimpered in protest as I pulled away from him and he peered up at me through desperate, hooded eyes. I smirked at him, loving how dishevelled he was for me. He bit his lip against a moan as I did and I reached towards him, pulling him up into a sitting position. He followed my lead, watching me curiously and he seemed to be happy for me to be in control right now. I'd be lying if I said I didn't like being in control of this situation, of him.

I grasped his hands and slowly, almost teasingly pulled them up above his head. He frowned in confusion for a second until I reached for the bottom of his shirt. He smirked this time and helped me remove his shirt. I swallowed back a groan at the sight of his ripped abs and tight pectorals. I felt the urge to run my hands all over him and he sighed, lying back down once his shirt was thrown across the room to give me full access to him.

My eyes followed my fingers, watching it dip and trace every contour of his muscular self. His stomach muscles twitched and clenched as I hit an exceptionally ticklish part and I grinned up at him. He blushed and turned his head away, probably hoping I wouldn't use his new found trait to my advantage. Well, as of right now, I stored it away and continued to trace, fingering the happy trail of hair under his belly button that led to…other places. My groin tightened at the thought.

"Yours off." He mumbled with his eyes closed. I looked at his face, waiting for him to open his eyes before cocking my eyebrow in question. "Take yours off."

"My what?" I asked. This time I was teasing him, making him beg. He groaned in frustration and my smirk grew. He lifted his hands, grasping the hem of my shirt tightly before pushing it upward. From the angle he was at, he couldn't push it further than my waist and I smirked at him. He scowled and sat up suddenly, thrusting his face to mine so they were only inches apart.

"Your shirt. Take it off." He growled, commandingly. Something deep inside of me, something primal, didn't like his tone and my eyes narrowed, grasping his wrists to push him back to his back on the bed, pinning his arms above his head as I leaned over him. He whimpered and closed his eyes.

"I don't think I like your tone, Seth." I told him, eerily calm. He bit his lip, remaining silent but he opened his eyes. "You want me to take it off?"

This time he moaned and nodded, quickly. I grinned, sitting back up. It took me a second to realise that I was straddling his waist, pinning him in more than one place to the bed. I rocked my hips and he groaned, bucking up into me. I poked his stomach in reprimand.

"Stay still…Now, what's the magic word?" I asked, devilishly. He whined helplessly.

"_Please_." He keened, gripping my shirt. I shrugged.

"Since you asked so nicely." I humoured him. Despite his pleas, his eyes widened in shock as I reached up behind my neck and grasped the collar of my shirt. He swallowed hard, his eyes fixated on the bottom of my shirt, watching as every inch of skin was revealed. I pulled my shirt all the way off and threw it across the room to join his.

I felt pride and pleasure course through me at Seth's wandering, wide eyes. I felt wanted and cherished, like he liked what he saw. Again, it made me feel powerful and in control. It was I who could make the decision to take this, my body, away from his gaze, not him and if and when I did, he couldn't do anything about it pinned under me like this.

My eyes closed as Seth's warm fingers clawed down y pectorals, leaving four red lines down each one. I hissed and snapped my eyes open, staring heatedly at him. He grinned and flattened his palms against my waist, fingering the dark ink of my tattoo that decorated the whole right side of my torso.

"Have I ever told you how cool I think this looks?" he asked suddenly, smiling up at me. I shrugged, peering down at his hands.

"No but thanks. Probably the best decision I ever made, or one of them." I admitted. He nodded.

"Looks beautiful." He murmured, watching himself trace it. My stomach twitched as he brushed over a certain part and I blushed, seeing his smirk directed at me. "I guess I'm not the only one who's ticklish."

"Oh, shut up." I laughed, shoving his chest into the mattress. He laughed and pulled me down to him, crashing his lips to mine. We both moaned as our bare chests collided and the feeling of his warm, soft skin against mine was sensational. We kissed heatedly, hands roaming desperately for more friction between us.

"More…I need more." He whined, pushing me backward away from him so that he could reach between us for my boxer briefs. His hands grabbed my hips before dipping inside the material to rest on my butt cheeks. I shuddered and bucked into him at the sensation.

Seth buried his face into my neck, flicking his tongue out to taste my skin and he groaned, beginning to suck on the tender flesh of my pulse point. I was a moaning mess and I suddenly found myself peering upwards with his face hovering over mine. He was smirking triumphantly and I narrowed my eyes, not liking this turn of events. He chuckled and leaned down to kiss me, silencing my protests before they could even begin.

"Let me...I'll make you feel so good." he murmured, pecking me once more before trailing chaste and open mouthed kisses down my jaw and neck. My head tilted back as I offered him more room to explore. He seemed to like this and he growled loudly. He nipped at my pulse point, enticing a jerk from my hips as my erection throbbed painfully. I doubt I was going to last much longer without some sort of release. "Mmm, you taste like caramel…and apples."

"Can't say…I've ever been…ta-tasted before." I panted; my voice cracking as his tongue peeked out, tracing the edges of my tattoo across my pectoral. He just hummed in approval, licking, sucking and nipping his way down the ridges of my tattoo like it was his favourite treat until he buried his nose into the sprinkling of hair below my belly button, inhaling greedily. "Shit, Seth. That tickles."

He chuckled against my skin, fanning his own breath through my hair as he hooked his fingers on the waistband of my underwear. "I'll remember that…Now…what do we have under here, huh?" his voice dropped an octave as he peered up at me through heavily, half lidded, lustful eyes. I swallowed hard, waiting with anticipation.

My eyes closed as he began to pull on my underwear, revealing skin inch by inch. He groaned as the hair at the base of my cock was revealed and the sound made it twitch. He moaned at the sight. When my underwear was stripped and discarded, I kept my eyes closed and waited for his reaction. I was nervous for some reason unknown to me, perhaps that I was worried about what he thought of me. I felt him sit up, his knees on the bed as he looked me over. I heard his breathing pick up and the faint groan on his lips as his hands gently caressed the front of my thighs, each passing making my dick twitch.

"You are so fucking perfect." He groaned desperately as he fell forwards and wasted no time. I cried out, clutching the bed sheets as his tongue swirled swiftly around the head of my cock, dipping into the slit slightly before wrapping his plump lips around my head. I groaned loudly, wantonly at the pleasure he was sending through me. My head fell backwards, arching at the sensation. "You taste some much stronger here…So good."

"Oh God, Seth…Fuck, just like that…" I murmured, desperately as he flicked the very tip of my cock with the point of his tongue. I felt him smile around my cock.

"You like that, huh?" he chuckled, sending intense vibrations down my cock. My hips bucked but it didn't faze him as he begun to bob his head up and down, rhythmically. A string of profanities escaped my mouth incoherently.

If someone had told me a year ago that I would be lying naked on my brother's guest bed, being sucked off by a guy, I would have probably killed the fucker but here I was, wallowing in the steady stream of emotions coursing through my body as Seth nibbled and kissed his way up and down my shaft, swirling his tongue around my tip on his way up. My hips were bucking steadily into his mouth as my hands fisted his short hair. He didn't' seem to mind either, in fact he gave me a hum of approval as I tugged on his locks.

"Uhfmmm…Seth…Shit, I'm g-gonna c-cum." I warned breathlessly as my balls tightened and my shaft throbbed. He moaned in approval and instead of moving away, he sucked me further into his mouth until the tip of my cock hit the back of his throat. His throat relaxed, allowing me to slip even deeper and then he swallowed around my head, squeezing it deliciously and that was the last straw.

My back arched harshly as I cried out, shouting his name at the ceiling as I came into his warm, wet mouth. String after string erupted and he swallowed greedily, humming at the taste of me, as if he liked it. His free hand pumped my shaft upward, milking every slither of cum for his consumption as his other fondled and squeezed my balls. As the last of my euphoria died down, aftershocks wreaked havoc on my body, leaving me breathless. My heart was jackhammering against my chest and I didn't even have the energy to open my eyes, let alone thank him. You thank people after they've sucked you off, right?

With one last kiss to the tip of my deflating cock, Seth moved to lie beside me, his hand resting on my lower stomach as he hovered over me. My senses were still in overdrive but I forced my eyes open, connecting with his immediately. The grin on his face was self-satisfied and proud but there was something else there as well. I couldn't acknowledge it yet; my mind wouldn't allow it but I found I liked seeing it, whatever _it_ was. His hand trailed up my stomach, playing with my left nipple gently, making me moan softly before his hand cupped my cheek. My eyes closed again and I leaned into his touch. It was like I was hypersensitive to everything that was Seth.

I almost called out in protest as he slipped off the bed and walked away from me but I was just too tired to move anything or even open my eyes. My stomach dropped at the thought of him not coming back but my fears were proven irrational as his scent washed over me along with a cold sensation on my oversensitive cock. I jumped a foot in the air but Seth just chuckled and settled me back down.

"Easy, sorry, I should have warned you. I'm just cleaning you up, babe." He murmured in my ear as he continued to wipe me down. I had forgotten that I'd come in my pants downstairs. I just shook my head dismissively. He left again, I'm assuming to dispose of the cloth he used and he was back next to me in a flash.

Once my eyes had closed, I couldn't open them again. They were heavy with exhaustion and satisfaction. I felt Seth move me onto my side before crawling in front of me. I was mildly confused and shocked by his actions, considering he just blew me off. I had expected him to cuddle up to me but as he got himself situated, he pulled my arm over his waist and linked our fingers, moulding his back to my chest. Something hard pressing into my forearm reminded me that Seth was still hard.

"What about you?" I mumbled into the back of his neck. I let go of his hand to slide it down to his erection. It twitched in my hand as I wrapped my fingers around it and he groaned softly. Gently, he pried my hand from his cock and relinked our fingers, bringing them to his chest as he peered over his shoulder at me. My eyes were open but barely so I saw his gentle smile.

"Don't worry about me, Baby. I'll be fine. Tonight was about you." He murmured, quietly. I couldn't even form the words necessary to reply to him, already feeling my mind closing off to consciousness. "Go to sleep, Chris-"

I didn't catch the last of his sentence as my mind slipped into that pocket of comfort called sleep. I felt him lean back closer to me and my arms tighten around him even more but that's all…

**Paul's Point of View**

Rachel and Alex were both discharged at around 9 this morning. We spent about twenty minutes filling out forms and signing a birth certificate for Alex but eventually, I was helping Rachel pack up all her bags as well as Alex's, occasionally settling the baby when he became too fussy. None of the family was here this early and I'd called them all not to bother since we were going home soon. They could just come and visit later on.

"Paul, don't' forget that lotion, okay? There're for my stretch marks." Rachel ordered, pointing to a small bottle of lotion behind me on the dresser. I snagged it up.

"What's wrong with stretch marks?" I asked, confused. She gaped at me.

"What's wrong with stretch marks? Are you seriously asking me that?" She laughed, shaking her head. I shrugged and she rolled her eyes, snatching the bottle from me. "They're ugly, Paul. I want them gone as soon as possible."

"They aren't ugly. They're proof of your eight months with Alex. You should be proud of them, like some sort of battle scar." I told her, matter-of-factly. She cocked an eyebrow at me.

"Are you honestly saying they wouldn't be a turn off for you?" she deadpanned, incredulously. I shrugged once, shaking my head.

"No, not really. Actually, I think they're pretty sexy." I smirked, leering at her. She rolled her eyes and snorted.

"Oh, do be serious, Paul." She laughed but pecked me on the lips anyway. I knew that she felt better about her stomach with my reassurances and I grinned at the thought of making her happy again.

"I am being serious, babe, but let's get out of here. I want out of this hospital and I want to get Alex settled in at home." I told her, peering over at the car seat cradling our new baby boy as he slept soundly. She smiled at him as well.

"I can't believe Chris has painted his room." She sighed, smiling. I nodded.

"I know. I'm as surprised as you are but it saved me a job."

"I wonder if he's finished it?" she mused, biting her lip. I shrugged.

"Dunno. He said he just had some finishing touches to do and then it was finished."

"Have you seen it?"

"Nope. He wouldn't even let me up on the second floor in case I tried to peak. He wants us to see it together." I told her, grinning. She shrugged. "Come on, let's get going."

She nodded and moved over to Alex, hooking her arm into the handle of his seat. I grabbed all of the bags, hooked them over my shoulder before reaching out to gently take him from her. She smiled in thanks and I winked, following her out of the room. We received a lot of congratulations and 'good lucks' on our way out the hospital but I sighed in relief as we stepped out, having spent way too much time in there already. I had to let Rachel secure Alex into the car because I hadn't the foggiest idea how to do it. I helped her in and then climbed into the drivers' seat.

The drive home wasn't long and Alex slept the entire way. We passed Chris' house, seeing the Marvins' car missing for the driveway but Chris' motorcycle still remained. I remembered that Chris was driving their car yesterday. I wonder where he'd gone so early in the morning. My question was answered when we pulled up to our home, seeing the previously mentioned missing car in our driveway. Had Chris come extra early or had he stayed the night, not that I minded either way? I shrugged it off and helped Rachel out the car, waiting and watching the street like a hawk as she took our pup from the car and went to the house. I locked the car and followed suit.

Yep, Chris definitely stayed the night. The doors were locked and we never did when we went to bed. Coming from the city, it was a habit for Chris. He stayed the night. I unlocked the door, noting the silence from within and the absence of light as all the curtains were still drawn. He wasn't up yet. Rachel settled Alex down on the coffee table before opening all the curtains. I vaguely wondered which room he'd slept in. again, Not that it mattered much.

The slight smell of paint lingered in the air as I hopped up the stairs to go check on him. All the doors were closed but our room was first so I opened the door and popped my head in. Nope, not in there. I called his name but there was no answer. Shrugging, I walked over to the guest bedroom, opening the door. Nothing could have prepared me for what I was about to see.

I stood in the doorway, my eyes wide as saucers as I stared at the duo in my guest bed. They were both sleep. Chris was on his back, his chest bare as the sheet only came up to his stomach whilst Seth, also bare-chested, rested against him, his face tucked into the side of his neck with a hand thrown over his chest. I tried not letting my eyes linger on two points of their anatomy, seeing how much sleeping next to each other _excited_ them both. I was glad that they hadn't totally kicked the sheet from their bodies otherwise I wouldn't have been able to bleach my brain enough to take the images away.

Chris' arm tightened around Seth's torso as I opened the door, feeling the cold draught that the door caused cascading across his skin. Even in his sleep, he was protective of Seth, which was another indication that Chris was going to phase. His wolf was coming to the surface slowly. I doubt that it'd be long before he joined the pack officially.

Even knowing about the imprint, it was a shock seeing them this way. I haven't seen this side of Chris at all and it seemed alien to me to see something like this. I was as straight as a bone and I wasn't homophobic or anything but even to me, this was fucking weird. To see two guys so intimate was…just weird.

"Paul, Baby, you want some breakfast?" Rachel shouted up the stairs and my eyes widened in horror as the duo on the bed began to shift. I acted quickly, pulling the door closed as I shot out the room. I grimaced at the slam the door made and knew without a doubt that Seth at least would have startled awake at that. I didn't linger to listen to them awake, shooting back down the stairs. I was sure I looked like I'd seen a ghost.

Rachel took one look at me and frowned. "Whoa, what's up with you? You look like you've seen a ghost." She commented, walking towards me. I closed my eyes and shook my head.

"Chris." I mumbled, awkwardly. She frowned, confused.

"What about him? Is he still asleep?"

"Probably not now, no. I kinda slammed the bedroom door but…that's not what I'm talking about." I told her, biting my non-existent nails.

"What is it?"

"Uh…Seth…kinda spent the night." I told her, wriggling my eyebrows. Her eyes widened as her mouth formed a sexy 'o'. Obviously, shocked was apparent on her face and I'm sure mine was a reflection. Then a grin overtook her face.

"It's about damn time. They've been dancing around each other for a bit now." She commented, moving back to where she was preparing some breakfast. I shrugged.

"Yeah, I mean, I'm happy for them and shit but I didn't particularly want to walk in on them cuddling and stuff." I grumbled, blushing. She cackled and shook her head at me.

"If only I could have seen your face. Must have been a picture…Wait, did you say you slammed the bedroom door?" she asked, suddenly fearful. I frowned but nodded. She groaned. "And you think you woke them up?"

"Probably. I mean, Seth at least. It was pretty…uh, loud." I admitted, shrugging. She sighed.

"So he knows that someone was there…that someone saw them cuddling?" she asked with a meaningful look. My eyes widened.

"Shit! Yeah, probably…Urgh, I so didn't need that awkwardness." I groaned, scrubbing my face. "Fuck, Chris' going to be mortified I've seen him like that."

"Wait, you didn't _see_ anything, did you?" she asked, smirking. I rolled my eyes.

"Just a couple of tents but no, not in the flesh." I admitted, blushing. She cackled again.

"That's so funny."

"What is?" Seth's sleepy voice mumbled from the kitchen doorway as he strolled in, scrubbing his eyes. Both Rachel and I froze, eyes widening again as we watched him open the fridge for two bottles of water. The amount made me blush, reminding me that there wasn't just him in hat bedroom. He turned around to see us gaping at him. He smirked suddenly and I groaned, knowing that I _had_ woken him up. Hell, he probably caught my scent in the room. "Oh, you were talking about us."

"Uh, yeah…" I trailed off, uneasily. He chuckled.

"You saw us, huh?" he asked me, grinning. I blushed darker and nodded into the island counter. Both Rach and Seth laughed at me. "Don't worry about it…Well, I don't' care but Chris' freaking out." h informed us, frowning at the ceiling. The guest bedroom was directly above our head sand I could hear Chris mooching around, doing whatever. Actually, it sounded like he was pacing. I grimaced.

"Shit…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I just wasn't-"

"Expecting to see it?" he offered, raising his brow. I nodded, vaguely. "Don't worry. He'll get over it. I think he's just worried about what you're gonna say or think about him. He thinks you don't know he's bi or some shit."

"He's bisexual, really?" Rachel asked, surprised. She shouldn't be though, not really. Seth nodded.

"Yeah, he is. Makes it easier for me. It would have totally sucked having a straight imprint." He chuckled, grinning wryly. I grinned. He opened his bottle of water and took a sip.

"Were you safe?" Rachel asked nonchalantly and Seth's spat out his water in shock, his eyes wide as he gaped at Rachel. I was pissing myself laughing at the counter but also wanted to know, vaguely, whether they were safe. I'd never admit that though. Rachel turned at the commotion and smirked at the water on the floor. "What? It was just a question."

"A very private question!" he hissed, blushing. My eyes widened.

"So you guys actually…you know?" I asked, shocked. Seth groaned.

"Despite the fact that it is none of your business, no, we didn't have sex." I told the both of us, scowling. Rachel nodded, placated.

"Why not?" I asked, curiously. Seth rolled his eyes.

"Do you think I'm stupid enough to think that Chris is remotely close to wanting to do anything like that?" he asked, seriously. I shrugged. "Well, no, I'm not. He's not ready. I know that. I took what I could."

"Which was?"

"None of your business." He replied, flatly. Rachel giggled but shrugged, keeping her nose out.

"I'm just glad that you seem to be getting somewhere, Seth. You deserve to have your happiness too." She told him, smiling brilliantly. He smiled thankfully.

We were interrupted when a shrill, loud cry pierced through the room, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and begin to search the room and house for danger. Shit, was this going to happen every time Alex cried? I'm in for an anxious couple of years. Before Rachel could rush over to our boy, the crying quietened down and a few seconds later, Chris came walking into the kitchen, cradling Alex in his arms nervously as he smiled at Rachel.

"I hope you don't mind. I figured I'd be helpful." He said, sheepishly. She beamed at him, leaning up to kiss his cheek before carefully taking Alex from him. He seemed a little more confident as he transferred him over but I could still see the unease and uncertainty shining in his eyes as well as the slight sigh of relief when he was taken from him.

I watched then, in the absence of Alex, how Chris became a shy, awkward kid. I knew he was thinking back to someone seeing them cuddling and I felt guilty for barging in on something that was meant for just them, some intimate. I would have kicked off big time if someone came waltzing into Rach and I's bedroom early in the morning (when 9 times out of ten, we'd both be naked) and saw everything.

Chris glanced up at me but instantly looked away, blushing scarlet. I sighed, knowing that I would have to talk to him about this later. But for now, we needed to see a certain room he'd been slaving over for two days.

"Okay, Chris, when are you going to be showing us this new nursery?" I asked, cocking an eyebrow. He glanced at me, seeming relieved that I'd changed the subject. He shrugged hesitantly.

He came closer to the counter, sitting beside Seth on the opposite side to me. He blushed deeper as he glanced towards his bench buddy and I smirked as I saw a small smile ghost across his face. He'd really come along away since he'd arrived here. The Chris that first got here would have probably decked Seth for even showing romantic gestures. However, it seemed Seth could now get away with reaching beneath the counter and intertwine their fingers atop of it. Rachel and I shared a glance, smiling lightly. Chris didn't pull away from him but gave both of us a nervous glance, as if we had any problems of the display of affection.

With a smile from the both of us, he seemed to relax and hold Seth's hand tighter, which seemed to make him happier. Rachel dished out breakfast after settling Alex again. She sat next to me and grabbed my hand, grinning. I watched the two opposite us with vague interest, seeing how comfortable they seemed with each other. After breakfast was over, Rachel coaxed Seth out of the kitchen to sit with Alex whilst I could talk with Chris.

**Chris' Point of View**

As soon as Rachel and Seth left the kitchen with Alex, I knew what was coming. I avoided looking at Paul, knowing I'd see the disgust he had for me in his eyes. I don't think I would be able to handle the disappointment either. It's not every day you see your brother cuddling up to a naked guy in your guest bed and I knew I'd freaked him out. I wouldn't be surprised if he told me to leave and not come back.

I cleared the table quickly and silently, praying that he'd just leave it alone and walk away but as I filled the sink with hot, soapy water, he stepped up beside me, grabbing a dish towel to dry as I washed. I expected him to speak but he didn't, which I was grateful for. I wasn't ready to talk about anything yet. For now, we just worked in silence, almost like a robotic conveyor belt. I washed, he dried; I washed, he dried; I washed, he dried. The silence between us would have been deafening if it weren't for the laughter that was coming from the living room. I glanced at Paul, seeing the small smile on his face at hearing his wife's laughter. I didn't even realise at the time that I was grinning like a fool also.

As the silence stretched on, I couldn't stop myself from daydreaming about last night, how raw and powerful it seemed to be for the both of us. I'd never felt to such extremes as I had last night and Seth seemed to be able to press the exact right buttons, like it was easy for him. He played me like a fucking guitar and I was under his mercy and influence. I would have never let myself get so…vulnerable in front of someone in my life, except for Paul and Rachel maybe, but with Seth, it was like I could trust him or I could rely on him not to judge me for anything. He made me feel again and the older me, the one that was before I came to La Push, would have cowered away from all feelings or emotions whatsoever. He didn't express his feelings, choosing to withdraw into himself.

This new Me, the one that had changed since coming here was beginning to realise that not all feeling was bad. Happiness was good; I felt that whenever Paul, Rachel and I were fooling around, laughing. Familial love; also a good thing. I experience that every time I spend alone time with Paul or Rachel, just hanging out like a brother and sister or brothers. Fuck, even if I'm around Sue, I feel a measure of that love for me and the new me was man enough to admit that perhaps I could feel something like that for her as well. Friendship was also a feeling that I had been acquainted with whilst living on this small reservation.

Jacob and everyone at the garage (barring Embry, who had come back from paternity leave with his wife to look after the new-born) had become somewhat friends with me. I still didn't trust them wholly but certainly more than when I first arrived. I could laugh and joke around with Quil and Jacob on the job now and could even pluck up the courage to enter the rowdy break room, following their example when Jacob called for break.

Seth, well, I couldn't even figure out where to begin naming all the emotions he invoked from me: desire, lust, pleasure, ecstasy. He made me feel…wanted. The way he worshipped my skin, my body last bight had me panting and completely at his will. Taking control of him for that short time was a power trip. There wasn't much I was in control of in my life but Seth, he gave me that opportunity to decide that was going to happen next, how I was going to deal with everything and what pleasure he'd receive and when. He gave it all up for me so easily and I would be forever grateful for that.

However, despite my 'new me', that old me, the one that was repressed and brooding, angry and lonely, still lurked in the back of my mind, taunting me with thoughts and doubts about everything in my life right now.

Paul seemed to be one of his favourite taunts, telling me how he'd abandon me now that his son was born and he could redirect all that familial love towards him and leave me in the dust. For some reason, Jacob was also another kryptonite of mine. I guess it was because he gave me my first break – he gave me a job, a means to earn something in my life and I knew that he could strip that away from me and I'd be left with nothing to aim for, nothing to accomplish each day, like finishing a car repair for the end of the day or the week… I needed goals in my life to keep me sane and he'd provided me with the means to make them.

My largest kryptonite would have to be Seth. I knew that he could do so much better than me. I mean, why would he linger around me in the first place? It's not like I could offer him riches or a family or even love. He deserved so much better and I suppose in the back of my mind, I knew that he could easily drop me too, leaving me vulnerable for anyone to pick at because he'd chipped away at the wall around my heart, aggressively so. They didn't stand a chance against his blows and despite the fact that those wall were semi intact, I knew it was only a matter of time before they were disintegrated completely by him.

I knew it was dangerous for him to be around me. People got hurt around me in the past and that's the last thing I wanted for him but I couldn't seem to help it. I couldn't seem to keep my distance from him and that within itself scared the shit out of me. This whole thing was foreign to me and I was still working everything out. I just didn't know where to start.

"I don't care, you know." Paul's deep baritone murmured from beside me, though his attention was fixed on the bowl in front of him. My head snapped up, my eyes wide with fear as the conversation between us began. I continued to stare at him, my hands suspended in the soapy water as I right out stared. He finished drying the bowl, setting it down in his organised pots that were ready to be put away before he turned to look at me steadily.

I scanned his eyes, seeing only truth and trust in his eyes. He wasn't lying to me, I could see that and yet I couldn't bring myself to believe it. Don't get me wrong, Paul didn't seem like the homophobic type but to have something like two guys cuddling under your own roof had to be irritating. How could he condone that? I swallowed thickly, turning back to my job. Paul grew quiet again as he continued to dry, seeming to wait for me to collect my thoughts again.

Once all the pots were washed, I had no means to hide behind and I knew that Paul wasn't finished with the started conversation. He dried the last pot and set about putting it all away. I watched him anxiously as he moved confidently around his kitchen, like he didn't have a care in the world. Was he really as calm and collected about this as he was letting on? He stopped and saw me watching him, intently. He sighed and inclined his head towards the island counter stools as he took one. I nervously took the one opposite, waiting for him to speak.

"Chris, seriously, relax okay? I'm not going to blow up about your gender preferences. I don't care…Well, no, I do care but not in the way that you think I do. I couldn't care less about you liking guys, that you like Seth. I've known for a long time that he's liked you as more than a friend. What I do care about is how it makes you see yourself." He told me, softly. I looked up at him frowning in confusion.

"See myself? What's that supposed to mean exactly?" I asked, perplexed. He sighed.

"I don't care, and you shouldn't either, about what the public thinks about you being bisexual or gay or whatever. We don't have to even put a label on it if you don't want to. All I care about is how you think about yourself. By that, I mean how liking Seth makes you feel, what it makes you think. So…How do you feel about liking Seth?"

"I uh…I don't really know…" I mumbled, peering down at my hands. He surprised me by taking one of them into his over the table, squeezing it.

"Just think about it properly for a minute…How do you feel about Seth, about liking him?" he repeated, slowly but not as if he thought I was a retard. He just wanted to hear his question properly so I could give him a clear answer.

It was in that instant that I knew without a doubt that I could trust Paul with everything in me. He'd never judge me or leave me. He'd be there through the bad and the good because we were brothers and he had my back. I felt something lift off my shoulders at that thought, knowing that someone was watching out for me. I'd never truly had that throughout my childhood or early teens, not since my Grandmother.

"I…I, uh…I guess, I'm not freaked by it, or anything. I guess…I'm okay with liking Seth." I admitted, nervously and I could feel the blush on my cheeks. Shit, I don't blush.

"Good, that's good. It's good that you've finally admitted it as well. I don't want you to be uncomfortable and I know that he'd never, but I don't want you to feel like you have to do anything because he or anyone else is pushing you. This is _your_ fresh start and you say what happens. Don't ever think that I'd shun you or some shit because I don't like who you're cuddling." He chuckled, letting go of my hand. I blushed deeper at his words, reminding me of that fact that he saw us this morning. Shit, what the hell does he think happened?

"We…We were just…you know…sleeping." I stuttered. He grinned and shrugged.

"I don't care what you did or the fact that you did it here. Do whatever the hell you want. I just want you to be happy and if Seth does that for you, it's all good with me and Rachel, if I can speak for her as well." He assured me, standing up from his stool to circle around the island. I watched him confused and chuckling lightly in surprised as he stood me up as well, pulling me into a fierce hug. I hugged him back, patting his back lightly.

"You're the best Paul." I sighed, grinning. He laughed.

"What are brothers for if not to advise and annoy?" he teased, laughing. I rolled my eyes and punched his arm. He laughed louder and I shook my head, just so happening to peer across the way into the living room. I tensed slightly as I saw Seth staring at me intently with a small smile on his handsome face. Handsome face? What the hell was the matter with me? He grinned at me and I felt something deep inside of me flutter.

Perhaps liking Seth wasn't such a bad thing after all…

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**So…I hope you guys liked it. It was my first ever attempt at slash, even though it didn't go all the way, obviously. Please review and tell me what you thought. I'm kinda nervous about your reactions to this chapter :/**

**Please review**

**Love,  
****MrsWolfPack  
****x**


	16. Fear

**Hey, hey, my Lovelies!**

**Thanks to all of you who reviewed and how has voted on my poll so far! It's appreciated! Believe it or not, the choices are tied at the minute so please, i need more votes! Thanks!**

**There's some fluff in this one for you guys! I hope you like it!  
Disclaimer: I don't own twilight! Unfortunately! D:**

**Without further ado...Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 15**

**Fear**

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**Chris' Point of View**

A shrill, child-like wail penetrated my unconsciousness and I startled awake, jerking upward slightly. I relaxed and sighed heavily. It was the fifth night in a row that Alex had woken everyone in the house – well, Rachel and I at least. Paul slept like the dead; I'm not even kidding. He could sleep through a tornado or some shit and wake up in the morning all bleary eyed and ask 'What the fuck happened?' whilst the rest of us were sweeping up the damn town. The man was a rock. To be honest, I wouldn't have put it past him if he as faking it. Fathers do that right? At least some do. Honestly, I don't have any experience and it's not like I can waltz up to my father and ask, 'Hey did you ever wake up with mom when I cried at night?' There was so many fucked up things about that question anyway.

I sighed, staring up at the ceiling through unfocused eyes, flat on my back with the sheets only resting at my hips. My eyes adjusted and I scrubbed them, sitting up on my bed. I could hear Alex crying from the kitchen, where I'm 100% sure Rachel was with him. She'd been so exhausted that I doubt she was barely awake herself. I sighed again heavily and shook out the cobwebs of sleep from my brain, throwing the sheets off me as I climbed to my feet. I swayed slightly, gathering my bearings before I trod over and out the guest room door.

I'd decided to stay a few days to help Rachel out, knowing that Paul was how he is when he's out to the world. I figured it'd give me a few days to think about how I felt about the Marvins, who were staying in town permanently, temporarily lodging at my house. The kitchen light was glowing at the bottom of the stairs and I glanced at their bedroom door, hearing the deep snores of my dead sleeping brother.

I shook my head with a small, quietly chuckle, passing Alex's nursery on my way to the stairs. When I revealed the nursery to the new parents a few days ago, I knew that I had made the right choice in everything. Rachel loved it so much that she cried and I could see that Paul was close to it but was too man enough to let them fall. They couldn't stop thanking me for the rest of that day or half of the next. Alex also took to his new room faster than we expected. That first night, he slept like the baby he is, not waking up between the time he went to bed at around half seven and about half five in the morning. It was when the novelty wore off for him that he began to wake up two to three times a night.

When I entered the kitchen, Rachel had finally quietened her son down as she fed him a bottle. I didn't get involved or anything like that with his food and stuff because Paul mentioned breasts. I tuned him right out when he said Rachel and breasts in the same sentence. No brother ended to hear about that shit and I swear he did it on purpose as well. She had her back to me and was rocking him back and forth whilst bouncing at the same time. I watched her for a good couple of minutes before I cleared my throat softly. She jumped slightly and turned to look at me, smiling sleepily. I sighed and approached her, kissing her forehead.

"Hey, sorry to wake you up again. He was hungry." she explained, sheepishly. I shrugged.

"There's no need to apologise, Rach. Is he nearly finished?" I asked, glancing down at the bottle. She nodded and I honestly couldn't figure out what possessed me to offer my next words. Perhaps it was the fact that I had a soft, nudging urge to hold him again, to overcome my fear of babies, pregnancies and such like; perhaps it was because the sight of seeing Rachel so haggard was painful but all I knew is, I offered to take over. "Do you want, maybe...I mean, if you're tired, I could, you know, take over or something? He only needs to finish that bottle and to be burped right?"

Rachel looked at me stunned, searching my face for any sign of joke or something but I smiled at her hesitantly but with sincere intentions. Her eyes widened as a small smile crept onto her lips. She glanced down at her son before looking back at me, nodding. I raised my brow, mildly surprised that she trusted em with her baby, on my own, in the middle of the night, but cradled my arms regardless, ready to take him from her.

Carefully, she took the bottle from his tiny plump lips, making his face scrunch up in protest before she quickly but gently transferred him over to me. I held him securely but not too tight as I got used to the weight of him, which wasn't very heavy at all. I don't think I'll get used to it no mater how many times I held him or get over that small but strong flash of fear just before he's put into my arms. Usually, it ebbs away after I've looked down at him, just as it did this time.

Rachel quickly passed me his almost finished bottle of breast milk and I nudged his soft lips with the teat gently. He latched on and continued suckling immediately, the pucker between his dark eyebrows smoothing out as the warm milk began to enter his mouth. A smile slowly swept onto my face and I blushed as I caught Rachel watching me from the corner of my eye.

Without another word, she leaned up and kissed my cheek in thanks before pecking her son's forehead gently and leaving the kitchen. I heard her climb the stairs tiredly and enter her bedroom. I heard the pause in Paul's snoring followed by a few low murmurs before everything grew silent again and I knew I was left to my own devices with my nephew. For the very first time. I took a deep breath and forced myself to stay calm and peaceful. Rachel said something about babies feeling the mood of the atmosphere or some shit but I wasn't sure whether that was bull shit or not.

I thought back to what Rachel was doing, rocking and bouncing him at the same time but the movement was foreign to me and it made me feel weird so I stopped. I glanced around the kitchen before shrugging and walking over to the fridge. I didn't even realise it when I moved his bottle to clutch between my chest and chin to reach out into the fridge for a bottle of water, holding him in one arm until after I'd closed the fridge and looked down at him.

My eyes widened and I quickly replaced my arm under him with slight panic, providing that extra support against falling out my arms. The whole movement seemed so natural whilst I was doing it but when I began to think about it, that fear raised its ugly head, making me insecure about my actions. Then I noticed that the whole movement didn't even faze him and that he was still gleefully suckling away on his bottle. I smiled down at him, captivated by his pulsing cheeks as he sucked. He truly was the cutest thing I'd ever seen.

I made my way towards the living room and carefully got myself comfortable sideways on the couch so that my back was against the armrest. He stirred and whined softly as I moved but I shushed him and settled him back down. I was shocked when his dark blue eyes opened slightly and peered up at me, curiously. I couldn't help the grin that overtook my face as I stared back and his eyes widened, his suckling ceasing for a minute to turn his whole attention to me. His eyes actually seemed to take in my features as I watched him and I was amazed by his attention span to detail already. He was barely a week old, not even that.

I chuckled and leaned down to press a gentle kiss to his forehead. I watched as his eyes fluttered closed at contact and his suckling picked up again. I picked up my bottle of water, making sure Alex was securely wrapped and situated between my body and the couch on the bed of my arm before twisting the bottle cap off with my teeth and taking a sip. I put it back on haphazardly, setting it down on the floor beside the couch.

Then I lay back a little and began to watch my nephew finish off the dregs of his milk until he began to suck in air from the bottle. I removed the bottle, again making his face screw up but I manoeuvred him, very, very gently and carefully, so that he lay against my chest, his head over my shoulder. I rested my cheek on the side of his head lightly and began to rub his back in slow, soothing circles, incorporating tiny, gentle taps to the back every now and then to help dislodge any air he might have.

After about ten minutes of this, three small, popping belches escaped his chest and I smiled in triumph. I continued for another good five minutes just to make sure that I got it all and when I was satisfied that I had, I gently pulled him down my body so that his head lay on my chest, right above my heart. His little arms and legs were burrowed beneath his body, wrapped in the thick blanket, patterned to match his nursery. I began to pat his bum rhythmically to the beat of my heart and he was out like a light in seconds, breathing deeply close enough to my ear for me to hear every single one of them and feel his warm, light breath in my neck.

The sound was like music to my ears and I smiled, feeling my already heavy eyelids drooping and clamping shut with exhaustion.

**Rachel's Point of View**

I woke in the morning a lot later than I was used to these last few days and my eyes widened as I looked at the time. It was nearly seven thirty in the morning and I hadn't heard a peep out of my little boy. I glanced over at Paul beside me, who was still sleeping like a rock and I rolled my eyes. Typical male.

He was lying on his chest, one arms curled over his head as the other, the one closest to me, was thrown over my waist, keeping me close to him. I smiled at his peacefully sleeping face, which was turned towards me smushed up against his pillow. I bit back a giggle s hi distorted features and the sleep lines that temporarily marred his face. He was so fucking cute but would never admit it; the man was too proud to use a 'girly word' such as cute. Idiot male.

I shook my head at my own thoughts before nudging him softly. He grunted but didn't stir. I rolled my eyes. "Paul, babe, get up." I told him, softly. I should have known my soft spoken words would have done jack shit to wake him up. I nudged hi back. "Paul Meraz, get up!" I said a little louder and he groaned, turning his head on his pillow to look away from me as his arm that was thrown across me tighten and pulled me closer. I sighed heavily.

"Paul Meraz, get up this fucking instant or you get no breakfast." I threatened, deathly calm but loud enough to penetrate his heavy sleep. He snorted comically and spun over to his back faster than my eyes could comprehend. In the next second, he was sat up in bed, his eyes squinting against the harsh sunlight shining through the gap in the curtains as he yawned loudly. I watched as he searched the room for the source of his wake up and settled on me as I smiled innocently. He huffed and rolled his eyes, flopping back down to the bed heavily and making me bounce softly. I giggled and leaned over him.

"That was a low blow, Missy. You cannot threaten a wolf with food." he grumbled, low and huskily. The sound surged right through my nether regions, waking them up to say hello. Paul's nostrils flared and his eyes snapped open, connecting with mine instantly. I grinned. He smirked and gripped my chin, pulling me down for a searing kiss that just about rocked my socks. His hand moved to cradle the back of my neck, keeping me secure to him as his other roamed down my side, cupping my bloated breast and teasing the nipple gently. I moaned into his mouth, pinching his own in retaliation. He growled and suddenly I was on my back with him hovering over me. I grinned up at him.

"Remember what the doctor said." I reminded him, matter-of-factly. He growled in frustration.

"I don't need a doctor to tell me when I can and cannot ravish my wife until she can't walk. Such bullshit." he grumbled, scowling. I leaned up and pecked the scowl away.

"It's only a week, Paul, not a whole year or something drastic like that." I laughed, gently pushing him off me so that I could sit up in bed. He sighed and lay down beside me, one hand rubbing the small of my back affectionately. I smiled at him over my shoulder and returned it with as much love.

"A week is too long. I want you now." he whined, sighing. I giggled.

"You'll just have to wait. I'm suffering just as much as you are, you know." I told him, cocking an eyebrow to emphasise my point. He nodded.

"How were you last night? I'm sorry nothing woke me up again." he asked, sheepishly. I rolled my eyes and leaned down to give him a kiss of forgiveness. He sighed.

"It was all good actually...Chris came down and took over." I informed him, smirking to myself. He was silent for a second.

"Come again?"

I laughed. "Chris came down to take over. He sent me back up here to bed." I repeated, smiling at him. His eyes were wide with surprise but a small smile of pride tugged at his lips.

"He tended Alex for the whole night, really?" he asked, astonished. I nodded, as proud as him. "Wow, he offered?"  
"Yeah, at first I thought he was offering just to give me a break and I guess he was but I also saw that he _really_ wanted to do it so I let him. I don't know how he got on and I'm a little surprised that I haven't heard Alex cry before now. It's seven thirty." I told him, gesturing to the clock. He frowned at it.

"He usually rises about half five, right?" he asked. I nodded. "Cool, he must have done something right then."

"Wanna go have a look?" I suggested, smirking. He grinned and nodded, throwing the comforter from his body before getting to his feet. I watched as he dressed into some sweat pants and a tank top before he threw some of the same to me, in my sizes. I dressed quickly and grasped his hand, walking down the hall towards Alex's nursery.

I opened the door, smiling as I expected to see my little boy sleeping in his crib but then frowned in confusion when he wasn't there. I glanced around the room before looking up at Paul, who shrugged calmly.

"Maybe he's downstairs?" he guessed, curiously. I nodded.

We both crept through the house, just in case Alex was asleep downstairs. Descending the stairs without getting it to squeak was a feat but we managed it, barely. I glanced into the kitchen first, seeing that all was the same as it was when I left him to Alex last night. I glanced around again to make sure. Nope, nothing out of place. Paul pulled away from me to look into the living room whilst I checked the fridge. The same amount of bottles were still there, ready to be heated up for my baby boy but I noticed a bottle of the freshly bought water was missing.

"Uh, Babe, I think you should get in here and see this for yourself." Paul called to me, quietly. I frowned in his direction, closing the fridge door before making my way over. Paul was stood at the living room doorway, peering into the room with the look of pure awe and adoration on his face. I smiled at him before looking to see what had him in such a state and my breath caught in my throat.

I had to blink to make sure that my eyes weren't deceiving me but still, I was unable to believe what I was seeing. Chris lay on the couch, his back against the arm as his own arms cradled my slumbering son against his chest, securely. Chris' face was serene and peaceful, like holding my son as he was, was nothing out of his comfort zone. My baby boy's face was also turned towards us and my heart melted at the equally calm and peaceful expression on his face as well.

"Paul, go get my camera." I whispered to my husband but I don't think he heard me. He was smiling brightly at our brother and son, awe radiating from his face. I touched his arm and his eyes flashed over to me briefly before returning to our family. "Baby, could you go get my camera?"

"Huh, oh, yeah, sure." He murmured, glancing once more at the sleeping duo before leaving to our bedroom. I sighed and entered the living room extremely quietly, knowing that Chris was a light sleeper and would hear the slightest noise (so unlike my wolf). Slowly and carefully, I sat on the coffee table, directly in front of them and watched them for a long time. Paul returned to me, holding out the camera without even looking at me. I stood up, grinning as I turned on the camera and aimed. At the last minute, I turned off the flash as I didn't want to wake either of them up. Then I snapped photo after photo, grinning like a maniac at this awe-inspiring visual.

I don't know how long Paul and I stood there, watching over the two most important guys in our life but when Paul gave a jerk and looked towards the front door, I knew that it was time to move. He pecked the top of my head and rushed over to the door before it could even open, opening it and stepping out before closing it softly behind him. His brothers were probably here and I hope he was telling them to shut the hell up in here. I sighed and looked once more at the duo before heading over to the kitchen. All the while, I couldn't help the grin on my face.

**Paul's Point of View**

Now, I'm not the mushiest guy on the face of the planet; no scrap that, I tend not to be mushy and shit at all but even a hard ass like I am cannot deny the pure innocence and cuteness of the sight laid out before me. My heart swelled, feeling too big for my chest almost as I gazed down at my brother and son, wrapped up in each other like it was the most natural thing in the world for the both of them. I felt no jealousy that he was sharing this time with my son and I especially didn't want to wake either of them because they looked so damn peaceful.

Rachel was as silent as me, wrapped up in my arms as we stared at them and I looked down at her, smiling brightly at the tears filling her eyes, tears that I was sure she wasn't even aware of. My arms tightened around her and my grin grew, feeling at peace with myself for the first time in a long while. When I found out that Rachel was carrying my pup, my wolf went into a frenzy, over protective like the man in me. Neither of us truly rested, knowing, or rather, thinking that one small thing could happen to Rachel and our pup and it would be all over. I was on edge for the last eight months but now, I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I could breathe again and know that both my imprint and son were safe. My son was safely wrapped up on my brother's chest and my imprint was securely in my arms.

"Baby, could you go get my camera?" I heard Rachel murmured a little insistently, making em wonder if she'd asked me once before. I shook my head as if to clear it and looked down at her.

"Huh, oh, yeah, sure." I agreed, flashing my eyes briefly to the duo's direction before leaving the room. The camera was in mine and Rach's room and I took the stairs two at a time in my haste. It took me seconds to snag the camera and head back down stairs, not making a sound mind you.

Rachel had entered the living room and was leaning over them sitting on the coffee table with a bright smile on her face. My own smile widened in response and I nudged her arm gently with the camera. She seemed to snap out of a trance and then smiled up at me widely, hopping silently to her feet. I stepped to the side slightly so that she could get a clear shot and after fiddling with some settings, she snapped shot after shot. I was glad to see that she had the sense to turn the flash off. Waking them up would have been inexcusable.

When she was done, I took her into my arms again and kissed her on the lips, deeply. She sighed and pulled away, sharing a bright smile with me before turning back to the pair. About fifteen minutes later, I felt the tell-tale shimmer in the air of a brother phasing, or rather, multiple passing at the same time and then not a second later, the wolf call sounding from the tree line, the sound we all used to announce our approach.

I looked towards the front door, my head jerking slightly as I suddenly realised that they'd wake these two up if they came barging in here, shouting and laughing, which typically happens when we're all together in a group. I kissed the top of Rachel's head before letting her go, rushing towards the door before they could get too near. I felt Rachel watch after me as I opened and shut the door behind me.

"Oh Paul, hey, what you doin' out here? We were just coming in." Seth chuckled, cheerfully. Shit, he was near his imprint, of course he was cheerful. I grinned at him.

"Everything okay?" Jacob asked, frowning slightly. I nodded.

"Yeah, yeah, no worries. I just came out here to warn you to keep you voices down. Chris and Alex are asleep on the couch." I ended with a small smile and chuckle. Seth's eyes twinkled with that information and silently moved past me into the house. We all heard his breath hitch as he approached them and I silently inclined my head towards the house, signalling for them to follow me in but to be quiet as fuck.

They all filed in as I held the door open, glancing briefly into the living room and smiling before they made their way to the kitchen to greet Rach. My eyes widened and then narrowed at the last two brothers walking into my house. Embry caught my gaze and smiled sheepishly as he saw my warning glare.

"Don't worry...We won't even look at him if he doesn't want us to and we certainly won't say a word. We just wanted to come see how Al and Rach were doing." he whispered to me, sincerely. I sighed and nodded, glancing at Sam who was staring into the living room with a blank expression on his face. I felt my wolf bristle slightly at his gaze being trained on my brother and son, especially when they were so vulnerable in that moment but after a second, his head turned and he smiled at me slightly, slipping past me into the kitchen.

I stood at the front door, watching as Seth leaned over his imprint, smiling widely at the picture he was presented with. He looked like he was seeing everything he'd ever dreamed of and briefly wondered whether Seth and Chris would ever get to that stage where they were craving a kid. Who knew? Chris was such a natural with kids and he didn't even know it and Seth was the perfect father material. But still, there was a long way to go for that duo. Seth bent down and brushed his lips across his forehead and I held my breath, praying that the action didn't wake him up but I sighed in relief when I saw it hadn't. I smiled and shook my head, leaving him to his imprint.

All the guys were eating a breakfast spread that Rach had obviously whipped up quickly at their arrival. When I entered the kitchen, Jacob stood and pulled me into a proper hug, not one of those macho, back-slap hugs that all guys do because they're awkward with physical affection with one another. I hugged him back, grinning.

"How are you? I hope you're helping my sister at night. She looks beat." he glared, only half teasing. I blushed and ducked my head in shame.

"Jake, lay off him. You know how he sleeps. It's fine. Besides, he's been amazing during the day and I get a good three hour nap while he's watching Al. And then there's Chris. He's been a star. All's good." Rachel abolished her little brother, smiling reassuringly. Jacob smiled and shrugged, retaking his seat and I took the one beside him. Rachel came over with a heaping plate full of pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage and hash browns, setting it in front of em on the table. I pulled her down to me for a gentle kiss and she smiled, moving to eat her own breakfast.

"So are you feeling okay, Rach, honestly?" Jacob asked, firmly but softly. She smiled and nodded.

"Really. Between Paul and Chris, they've given me plentiful opportunities to rest myself. Actually, Chris sent me off to bed last night. He took over finishing off Al's bottle and burping him. I'll have to ask him how he got on with that." she added to herself. I smiled with pride for my little brother.

"Looks like he coped just fine to me." Embry mumbled, glancing at the living room doorway. We couldn't see them from where we were sat but I could hear all three heartbeats, two sets of even, deep breathing and Seth's faster, shallower breathing she watched over them.

"Yeah, I could almost believe Al was his looking at them in there." Quil laughed, grinning at me sheepishly like he thought the statement would irk me. I smiled and shrugged, nonchalantly.

"The kid's a natural. I don't know what he was so afraid about- Well, no I do but he has no reason to be. I think he's just freak about everything to do with babies and shit, understandably so." I amended, shrugging. Rachel nodded in agreement.

"So hey, what about, you know, his signs? Have any of them worsened?" Jacob asked me in a lower voice on the off chance that Chris heard him. I shook my head.

"No, not since Al was born. His temperature is still up and he's growing by the day but that's all. No shaking since the birth. I think Al grounds him, like he does me. Well, at least that's what I think." I told him. He nodded.

"Still, I don't think it'll be long before it becomes official." Jared mused, seriously. I nodded.

"I'll keep an eye on him. I'll howl if anything goes wrong. For now, I trust him not to lose it around my family." I informed them all. They nodded.

Our conversation was cut short by a soft cry sounding from the living room. I started to get up from my seat but Rach held a hand up, halting me. I frowned at her but she smiled. "Let him handle it. If you charge in there and take over, he'll start to doubt himself." she instructed, sagely. I smiled and nodded, knowing she was right. He could handle this easily.

I heard the instantly Chris was awake, hearing his heart rate pick up and the soft hitch in his breathing. I also decided to pretend that I hadn't heard the soft curse falling from his lips so close to my son's ear. He was just startled, I guess. I listened closely as he was startled further by noticing Seth's presence before Al's cries recaptured his attention. I smiled to myself as he began to coo at him softly, hushing him calmly as he lifted himself from the creaking sofa.

I felt a pang of sympathy for him as I knew from experience that that sofa wasn't the comfiest to nap on, let alone sleep on for a good portion of the night. Chris groaned slightly but probably ignored the ache in his back and sides to focus on Al.

"Hey, Little Man, so much noise first thing in the morning should be illegal." he told my son, gently but gruff from sleep. I heard Seth chuckle as Al's cries softened to low whimpers at Chris' voice. "Hey Seth, everything okay?"  
"Everything looks perfect from here." he quipped, making the bunch of us roll our eyes and share a smile. Chris chuckled nervously.

"Right...I better get him to his mother. He'll be hungry by now and I really don't want to have to deal with the bomb he's just dropped." he mumbled, making the lot of us laugh softly, including Seth. I knew where Chris was coming from though; that boy of mine was a lethal weapon when it came to filling his pants. I turned away from the kitchen doorway as I heard him approach us, smiling to myself in secret.

As he entered the kitchen, his footsteps faltered and I glanced up seeing the surprise on his face at the company this morning but also the hostility in his eyes when he caught sight of Sam and Embry. Thankfully, he didn't say anything to or about them being here, nor did they linger on his presence enough to irk him further as he walked straight over to Rachel, bracing Al tightly to his chest by the bum and the back of his head, protectively. I smiled at my son's face, seeing his eyes flicker here and there, taking his surroundings.

"Hey, how was everything last night? Good?" Rachel asked, expertly taking Alex into her arms and pecking Chris' cheek softly. He blushed and stood up straight, shrugging as he looked at the floor.

"He was fine. Took him about ten minutes to finish his bottle. I burped him for about twenty, twenty five minutes and then he went to sleep pretty quickly after I put his ear to my heart." he informed her, nonchalantly. I grinned at his intuition and initiative and admitted to myself that I hadn't actually thought about the heartbeat lullaby thing.

"You, Mister, need to be careful or I might not let you leave. It takes me ages to get him back to sleep." Rachel warned, smiling art him teasingly. He chuckled, embarrassed.

"Wait, why and when am I leaving?" he asked, smirking and they both shared a chuckle.

"No reason and never if I have my say." she replied, playfully. He rolled his eyes.

"Enjoy your snooze, Chris?" Jared laughed, eyeing him teasingly. Chris blushed and scratched the back of his neck, nervously.

"Kind of, uh...Dude, you're couch is wrecked." he added to me, rubbing his back as he stretched. Out the corner of my eyes, I could see Seth's eyes zeroing in on the slither of skin that was exposed when Chris' top lifted. I rolled my eyes at him and then barked with laughter, nodding.

"Tell me about it but it was either a new couch or Al's crib. Rach would have kicked my ass if I got a new couch before our boy's bed." I laughed. Rachel cocked her eyebrow at me and glared as if to say 'I'd do far worse things than kick your ass, Boy.' I grinned at her.

"That sucks. Rach, remind me to take Al upstairs next time I take over, yeah? Though, that was one of the best night's sleep I've had in a while, ironically enough." he asked her, grinning. She beamed and nodded.

I knew that she was thrilled that he'd said 'next time', not so much for herself but for the fact that Chris was willing to face his fear again by taking on Alex's night time care by himself again. It was quite clear from his attitude this morning and how rested both him and my son were that he'd faced off his fear with success last night.

"I'm glad to hear it and you bet. What have you got planned for today?" she asked, handing him a plate of breakfast. He shrugged.

"Nothing much really. I have work later but other than tha- Actually, what's the date?" he asked the room, glancing over at the calendar hung on the wall on the other side of the room. I saw his eyes widen just as Rachel glanced at her phone.

"November ninth, why?" she asked, curiously. Suddenly, a massive grin, one wider than I'd ever seen before, spread across his face and he rushed out the room, handing off his plate to the nearest person, though I doubt he realised the nearest was Sam.

"Hey, where you going?" Rachel called after him, chuckling at his excitement.

"Have somewhere to be; something to pick up. Seth, wanna come with?" he called as he slipped into his jacket and snatched up his biker helmet from the table beside the door. Seth grinned widely, obviously happy to be included in his imprint's plans.

"Hell yeah! Wait, where we going?" he asked, leaving the kitchen. We chuckled at Seth's enthusiasm but listened intently to his plans. Even though he's not phasing _yet_, he'll be phasing _soon_ and we still needed to keep an eye on him.

"I have a quad bike to pick up in Port Angeles so I hope you know how to ride a motorbike since you'll be riding it home whilst I ride the quad." he explained and my eyes widened along with everybody else's, well apart room Rachel's, whose narrowed dramatically. Seth began to stutter incoherently at his designated job whilst Chris just chuckled, probably at the comical face he was pulling.

"A quad bike? Are you crazy? Are you trying to kill yourself?" she called after him, outraged but was careful not to raise her voice to high as she was holding our son and didn't want to startle him. She was answered with a deep laugh and the hasty slamming of the front door. She scowled and turned away from us, focusing on feeding Al whilst mumbling about idiotic boys under her breath and shook her head.

"That kid has some serious fetish about bikes." Jacob mumbled, chuckling. "You know someone's still going to have to trail them, right? Seth'll be too distracted to really be paying attention."

"Yeah, I'll head out there with them." Colin volunteered, shrugging. Jacob nodded.

"I wonder what model he's getting." Embry mused to himself, cocking an eyebrow. I watched him for a second only just remembering he was also a quad and dirt bike buff.

Maybe, just maybe, that could be Embry's way past Chris' brick walls around his heart – through their love of bikes of all kinds.

**Chris' Point of View**

I breathed a sigh of relief as we got out of there. Don't get me wrong, I had nothing against Paul and his brothers, well most of them anyway, but I didn't really want to be in the same room as them all. I could only just hack the break room at work with us all piled in there and practically falling over each other. Anything more than that and it was too much for me to handle.

Not to mention that there was two of the three people in that room that I just couldn't stand to be around at the minute, or maybe even ever. I could sense Embry looking at me occasionally as I joked around with Rachel but was relieved when I didn't sense Sam's gaze on me. I would have preferred it if he'd followed _his_ brother's example but I wasn't all that lucky. I was also thankful that Josh seemed to have backed off as well.

Of course, remembering the date had be storming out the house anyway. I'd recently ordered and purchased a quad bike without Paul and Rachel knowing, as I knew that they'd flip their lids like Rachel was beginning to before I closed the door on her. I'll probably pay for that later. I'd been planning on buying one for a long time, since I'd gotten here because the forests and clearings surrounding the Res were perfectly for some off road quad-biking. I contemplated on getting a dirt bike but quads seem so much more fun.

"So hey, thanks for inviting me." Seth said as he followed me to the bike. I smiled at him over my shoulder before throwing him the helmet. He caught it reflexively, frowning as I replied, "Sure, no problem."

"Why do I have this? No way, you wear it. I'll be safer than you in a crash." he insisted, pushing the helmet back in my arms after I'd mounted the bike. I shook my head and threw it at him again. "Chris, no, you nee-"

"Forget it, Seth. I'm not wearing it. I want you to wear it. Besides, I've never crashed on this baby and you'll need to get used to wearing it for the ride back anyway." I explained, or more like implored. He eyed me and the helmet, doubt and uncertainty written all over his face whilst I watched him come to a decision.

"Chris, I really don't feel comfortable with you not wearing a-"

"Fine, leave it here but it'll be a waste. Please wear the helmet, Seth. I'd hate it if you got hurt if we _were_ in a crash." I pleaded with him. He frowned.

"But-"

"No buts. Now hurry up, I want this quad as soon as." I demanded, turning my head away from him as I fired up the bike. He sighed heavily and approached me hesitantly.

"Uh...You know, I've never been on a motorcycle before. I don't...I don't think-"

"You scared?" I asked him, teasingly as I looked at him over my shoulder. He frowned.

"Well no, but-"

"You don't trust me?" I asked again, not giving him chance to continue. He shook his head hastily.

"What? No. No! It's not that, it's just-"

"Well then, what's the problem? Come on, you're holding up my plans. Just hop on." I instructed, dismissively.

I smirked forward as he heard him release a suffered sigh and stand flush to the bike. He paused for a second before gently gripping my shoulders. I resisted the shiver that surged through me at his touch and waited patiently with my eyes closed and he cocked a leg and swung it over the bike. I held it steady as he situated himself and then he surprised me by placing the helmet back on the floor beside the bike. I frowned at him over my shoulder.

"If you're not wearing one, then I'm not." he told me, adamantly. I eyed him for a second before sighing and shrugging.

"Fine, whatever." I agreed, gripping the handle bars in front of me. "Hold on tightly. This baby goes pretty fast."

"Oh, uh, o-okay." he stuttered, cutely as he slide forward of the bike slowly, pressing him front to my back softly whilst placing his hands on my hips. I chuckled.

"I won't bite, Seth. Come closer and circle my waist with your hands. Link your fingers too." I instructed, pulling one of his hands around me. His breath hitched as the movement pulled him tighter to my back and he was forced to rest his head on my shoulder. His other arm wrapped around my waist and his fingers linked like I'd told him to do. When I was satisfied, I nodded and turned on the ignition, feeling the whole bike vibrate between my legs.

The vibrations made Seth moan suddenly and I smirked widely to myself, knowing but temporarily forgetting just how damn good it felt. I could remember my reaction the first time as well. I grinned wider as I felt his cheek grew hot against my neck. His heart rate picked up with his embarrassment and I chuckled, peeking over my shoulder at him.

"Feels good huh?" I teased with a quiver of my eyebrows, making him blush deeper.

"Uh...I, um...It's so much power. I mean..." he spluttered, making me laugh again and grin.

"I know what you meant." I told him, smiling. He smiled back, cutely. My eyes fixed with his and he smiled softer. I hadn't realised my voice would be two octaves lower before I spoke again, every word dripping with lust and desire, which surprised the shit out of me. "Holding on tight enough?"

"I think so." he whispered, glancing down at my lips. He was so close right now. I could feel his heavy, warm breath fanning across my face. I swallowed hard and bit my lip gently.

His arm unwound from my waist and reached up to cup my cheek. My own heart sped up as he leaned closer to me, his eyes intent on my lips until they closed in anticipation. I swallowed again as my own closed as well. Seconds later, his lips were pressed against mine gently, so gentle that I could hardly feel them before he pulled away. My hand was reaching up before I could stop it, cupping the back of his neck to pull him forwards again. This time my lips pressed to his, applying way more pressure than he had.

He gasped, moaning softly as he kissed me back. His lips were so soft and pliable to my own. I was shocked and surprised to think I couldn't get enough of them, that I could kiss him easily for the rest of our borrowed time. They moved in synch, as if they were made to do this with each other. I tilted my head a little to deepen the kiss, making him whimper again and his lips to part without my coaxing. I took advantage, sneaking my tongue into his mouth until it mingled with his, making both of us moan and clutch tighter to the other.

I had to suppress a groan at the feeling of his growing hardness against the top of my ass and resisted to urge to grind back into him. At that thought, I was flushed back into awareness, kissing him once more before pulling away completely, panting and covertly licking my lips. He sat panting into my neck, his heart thumping against my back harshly and still hard as rock. I closed my eyes and once again resisted that longing to move against him.

"Come on..." I said breathlessly, swallowing hard. "We should get going."

He nodded numbly, his eyes still closed and his breath harsh as he held onto me that much tighter, accidentally pressing his erection into my back as a result. He groaned softly and I smirked, willing my heart to slow down as I pulled up the kickstand, tapping his knee with one of my hand gently to prompt him to lift his feet of the ground. He did, resting them atop the back feet pegs. I lifted mine, simultaneously forcing the bike forward and out the driveway. I heard him gasp and clutch at the front of my shirt desperately with the speed I'd started out at and I laughed heartily, surprising even myself but I couldn't help it. A few miles out, he seemed to relax and I smiled when he tucked his head in between my shoulder blades. I sped up and I don't even think he realised.

As soon as that initial shock and fear wore off, he was just as comfortable as I was...like he belonged there.

* * *

**So there we have it! I hope you liked it!**

**The picture of Alex's nursery is on my photo bucket now, FINALLY! Go onto my profile if anyone's interested :)**

**Could you guys please vote on my poll for who you want me to write about next. Note that I've changed the 'Emmett/OC' option to 'Emmett/Bella' option. Thanks!**

**Thanks for reading! Please review!**

**Love,  
MrsWolfPack  
****x**


	17. Port Angeles

**Hey, hey, my Lovelies!**

**So, I'm sorry this is late. RL has kicked my butt this past fortnight and I just couldn't find the time to write. Those of you who read A Wolf's Love, it'll probably be the end of the week before an update. Again, I'm sorry :(**

**But, now I have updated I hope that you enjoy it! It's pure fluff! :D**

**There's a picture of the Quad bike on my photobucket! Check it out!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.**

**Without further ado... Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 16**

**Port Angeles**

* * *

**Seth's Point of View**

Never before in my life had I felt so sick. Damn, I thought wolves couldn't even _get_ sick but fuck was I proving that theory wrong big time. Chris must have been going at least 140mph down the free-way and I honestly believe that I was the first wolf to suffocate their imprint to death or something what with how tightly I was clutching him, thinking I was going to fly off or some shit. I had my face buried deeply into his neck, breathing heavily. His scent helped a lot, calming down so that I wasn't screaming my ass off but I was still terrified. I'd rather take on a whole coven of vampires than I ride this death machine, or even allow Chris to either. Sue was right in calling it a death machine.

I whimpered or yelped every time he turned a sharp corner, our knees almost touching the asphalt below us we manoeuvred over that far. The wind was whipping past my ears so fast I could barely hear anything and the smell of burning rubber against asphalt was strong in my nose. I wanted off this devil ride. There was no way in hell I was going to be able to ride this fucker home alone. I didn't even know _how_ to. Chris chuckled every time he over took the bikes and cars in front of us, almost clipping the sides of cars whilst I trembled and yelped in surprise every time. He was a crazy fucker. But shit, if he wasn't _my _crazy fucker.

I doubt I was going to be able to stand much more of the vibrations either. My cock felt like it was pressed up against an energiser bunny and combine that with the scent of my mate, my wolf and I were going crazy. All he wanted to do was pull over and ravage our mate against the machine but I doubt Chris would appreciate that somehow. Don't get me wrong, it felt fucking good but if I didn't get off soon, we'd have another problem – like having to walk around Port Angeles with jizz filled pants. Oh, the joy. Did you note the sarcasm there?

Despite my discomfort and fear though, I couldn't help but smile every time Chris would laugh exuberantly and peek back at me with excited eyes and a bright smile. Sure, it made me nervous that he wasn't watching where he was going but the sight of his face overshadowed that because it was the face of pure happiness, one that was extremely rare to appear on my Chris' face. His heart rate would spike with adrenaline every time we turned a corner or increased the speed or he'd lean forward or tilt his head up to catch the intense wind whizzing past us at high speeds. I had my doubts and fears whenever I thought of Chris and his bike obsession but seeing and riding with him at 180mph (the speed in which we were propelling right now. Urgh) it was obvious that this is what he lives for – the speed, the adrenaline, the fun, the only source of fun that he was truly comfortable with and lost himself in. it was the only thing he gave his all to and jump into with both feet without hesitation.

On this bike, he was in his element...

"Are we nearly there yet?" I shouted into his ear so that he could hear me over the roar of the engine and wisp of the wind around us. His responding chuckle vibrated through his back into my chest and I couldn't help but smile along with him, loving that sound.

"you sound like a whiny five year old." he called back, laughing heartily. I snorted. He shrugged then. "But yeah, we'll be there in about 15 minutes. What, you don't know where you are?"

I giggled. "Well, I would if everything we pass wasn't a giant blur." I quipped, smirking sideways at him. He laughed and began to turn his head to look at me but I wouldn't allow it. I glared at him, forcing his head forwards again as I growled, "Watch the freaking road, for God's sake!"

He laughed loudly again, truly enjoying himself, clearly. "Am I making you nervous, Seth?" he asked, obviously amused. I pinched his sides, making him jump and laugh again. "I wouldn't do that, Man, not if you want to crash for real."

I laughed nervously. "Yeah, best not then." I agreed, wryly. I sighed and buried my face into his neck again. Whether he was aware of doing it or not, he tilted his head to accommodate me further, which made me smile widely and kiss his gorgeous skin softly. He shivered and the bike sped up, making em tense slightly until his scent calmed me down again. When I began to leave open-mouthed kisses up and down his neck, he moaned and shivered, making me smirk.

"Do you mind, I'm trying to drive here." he griped half-heartedly. I grinned.

"'You ride a bike, not drive it'. Isn't that what you told mom at dinner that night?" I murmured right into his ear, being sure to fan my breath down his neck in the process. Shit, this bike really was turning em into a horny fucker.

"Hey stop that!" he laughed, shouldering em away from his neck playfully but then continued, "You're such a smart-ass...Just hold on and enjoy the 'ride'. We're nearly there and remember to take some pointers as well for the ride home."he told me, smirking to himself as I paled.

"You;re not really going to make me ride this back home, are you?" I asked, nervously.

"Oh yeah, definitely." he replied, adamantly. "Even if I have to teach you first."

"Jesus." I whined, shaking my head. His laugh was heard for the rest of the ride into Port Angeles.

* * *

"Shit, did you really feel it necessary to take those last three miles at 240mph?" I choked out, bent double over a drain as I gagged and spat over it. Chris was stood a ways away, leaning against a lamp post with his arms crossed over his broad chest and a not-so-subtle, cocky, smug grin on his face. The fucker looked sexy and fuck-hot right now. If I wasn't trying to retain my breakfast, I most certainly would have jumped him already.

"You know you loved it. Don't be such a baby, Seth." he laughed, smirking widely. I scowled at him playfully and straightened up, facing him squarely. He straightened in response, seeing that he had successfully caught a rise out of me, making his smirk widen into a grin. He cocked an eyebrow in challenge and I barely resisted the urge to growl back at him. "What? Did I say something you didn't like, Sethy?"

"Oh, so innocence is your game now, is it?" I growled, surging towards him until I had him pressed up against the steel behind him. My chest crushed to his deliciously and I could feel the now, building heat radiating fro him, the one that told me he'd be phasing soon. He grinned wider and pulled me closer by my hips, squeezing them gently. We were nose to nose when I said, "Well it's too bad that I can see right through you, huh?"  
"Holy shit, you're the real Clark Kent? How did I not figure that out sooner, Superman?" he quipped sardonically. I growled at his tone and pressed harder into him, crashing my lips to his hungrily. He gave a startled gasp, which I took full advantage of by thrusting my tongue into his mouth, moaning at the taste of my imprint. My tongue swirled with his sloppily, making crude squelching sounds that I couldn't help groaning at. His wet, pliable muscle succumbed to mine, even for a second as he moaned deliciously into my mouth, leaning further into me and the kiss. There was no feeling like it; knowing your imprint gave you full control.

For all of five seconds...

I bit his tongue and it seemed to be the catalyst of some sort of change within him. He growled lowly and pushed against me until my back slammed into the wall of the multi-storey car park we pulled up in. I whimpered as his tongue fought back against mine, not so pliable anymore. He prodded and massaged sensually until my tongue was pliable to his own, bending to his every will. I tried to pull him closer, to wrap my legs around his waist but he resisted, chuckling into my mouth before he pulled away reluctantly. He stared down at me with eyes so intense I shivered and I felt my pants tight painfully as I melted under his gaze, panting. All I could think about was him – next to me, behind me, pressed up against me, fuck, _inside_ me. Shit, I needed him so much...

But our bubble was burst by a fat, grizzly asshole who never heard the saying 'if you've got nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all' in his entire middle-aged life.

"Yo, faggots, enough with the sick PDA. No one wants to see that shit, Gay Boys." the fucking homophobic prick asshole shouted, loudly. "i don't know about queer faggots or anything but I'm pretty sure sucking cock in the middle of a multi-storey car park is illegal. Go back to where you came from and do all us normal folk a favour, would you?"

my blood boiled as the trembling in my hands intensified with every word that he spoke. My ears were red with anger and my eyes reddened drastically. It was all I could see. Scenarios of killing the bastard flashed through my head and I wanted to inflict each and every one of them on the fucker. But I couldn't...

Chris was shaking.

My heart sped into overdrive as I watched Chris turned and snarled dangerously at the man. My eyes widened as I realised just how out of hand this situation could get. I was pissed but Chris was hardy in a condition to be controlling in anger right now. The littlest thing could set him off and let's face it, what the bastard said was not a little thing. I knew that I needed to focus all my efforts on calming him down before he explodes into a massive wolf and not on killing the homophobic bastard where he stood, to pummel him against the pavement until he bled...a lot.

However, Chris was losing it fast and there was a massive chance that he could phase any second. I swallowed down my anger and watched wide eyed as Chris began to take a step towards the man (who stood a ways away with his wife and son, who looked about six) and they took a step back to mirror him. I could see the instant regret in the man's eyes saying what he did and knew that he could be getting pummelled in the next couple of seconds. I couldn't allow that, no matter how much I wanted to help Chris do it. The dickhead actually had the nerve to hide behind his wife and kid, who actually looked more awed than scared.

I grasped Chris' trembling arm to stop him advancing any further but that didn't stop him from speaking up. "Who the fuck are you calling 'faggots', Chubba?" he growled viciously, his eyes blazing with the anger wrecking his body right now. I pulled harder on his arm.

"I-I..."

"Well, cat got your tongue, fucker? You really need to think about what you say before you open your fat ass mouth because the words just might get you an ass kicking." he growled.

"Chris, baby, please calm down. Not here okay? Just let it go." I pleaded with him, eyeing the family nervously but focusing most of my attention on my enraged imprint. He snarled.

"Why the fuck should I? This prick decided he wanted to start a fight and I would rather fucking die than stand here and do nothing whilst he calls you a faggot. He has it coming." he shouted, glaring at the man who looked like he was about to shit his pants. "He's just a homophobic prick that the world could do without anyway."

"Yeah, babe, I know what you're saying and I want nothing more than to hurt him too but just listen to me, okay..." I pleaded, gently forcing him to look at me, right into my eyes. His blazing ones called slightly and I smiled gently, leaning up to kiss him softly. With my lips still against his, I murmured. "It's okay. I'm okay. It doesn't matter what they think. It doesn't matter what anyone thinks. I on;y care about how you feel and think, no one else. Just ignore him. Let them go do whatever they're here for. We can forget all about it."

"He called you a faggot." he growled softly, pulling me closer by my hips. I bit my lip against the groan building up in my throat at the feeling of his erection. _What the fuck? This was turning him on?_ I knew it was for me.

I nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I know, and a lot of other things but he doesn't matter. He's worthless to get worked up over. Just breathe me in, calm down, please, Baby?" I pleaded, stroking his face with my thumbs. I heard him inhale and then he buried his face into my neck, inhaling even deeper. I cradled and held his head to my neck, glancing over his shoulder to glare at the man, who looked visibly disgusted by our display. His wife was glaring at her husband and the kid was just gawking at us, looking mightily interested. Or just confused, I guess. "Get the fuck out of here, would you?"

The man was frozen on the spot but it was his wife who acknowledged me with a small nodded and apologetic smile. I shook my head at her slightly, dismissively before watching he usher her prick of a husband away from us. The kid stared for a couple more seconds before his mother shouted out for him. He waved and skipped away. I sighed in relief and closed my eyes, breathing my imprint, who was still trembling slightly in my arms. I stroked up and down his back, willing him to calm down and praying that this hadn't destroyed his fun, carefree vibe for the rest of the day. I might actually have to search out and kill the fucker if he has.

I don't know how long we stood there leaning against the wall, him totally laid out on me whilst my back was against the wall. He melted completely into me and my calming support. His breathing eventually evened out and thankfully, the trembles wreaking his body simmered down to nothing. It would have been a disaster if he phased here in Port Angeles. We were surrounded mostly by trees but the area was just too populated. I was proud that I was able to calm him down, like he can do for me. I just kept kissing the side of his and stroking his back until he was completely calm and just holding me.

A few seconds later, he spoke, shakily. "Thank you...I-I don't know what that was but thank you." he breathed quietly. My heart clenched for him. I knew from experience what an uncomfortable shock the lead up to phasing for the first time could be. All of us felt that way. I just wished that I could tell him, warn him somehow but Sam and Jake would kill me. I nodded in understanding though.

"I know. It's okay. You've calmed down and I'll make sure that you stay calm. You did so well. I'm proud of you."

"I just...I've never been so...angry. I actually...want to _hurt_ him. On purpose. For calling you what he did." he growled softly, trembling slightly. I clutched him tighter.

"Hey now, it's okay. I'm fine. We're fine. Just forget about it, alright?" I implored him, pulling his face back to peer into his eyes. He stared back for a few seconds before sighing and leaning in to press his lips to mine. My eyes closed and I revelled in the softness of the kiss, his 'thank you' for calming him down. I stroked his cheek once more, smiling into the ki8ss before pulling away from him. He swallowed hard and reopened his eyes to look at me. He grinned slightly in response to my own.

"Okay." he sighed, closing is eyes with a shake of his head, as if to clear it. When he reopened his eyes again, they were a lot clearer and brighter, making em smile wider. He grabbed my hand, shocking em slightly. "Alright, so where were we?"

"I believe that you have a quad bike to pick up, not that I approve." I grumbled that last bit, scowling at him playfully. He chuckled.

"Aww, who know you cared so much, Sethy. Come on, the sooner we go pick it up, the sooner we can go eat. It's nearly lunch." he ordered, pulling me towards the lift as he'd insisted on zooming all the way to the top floor of the parking garage. I rolled my eyes but smiled and followed obediently, eager to see more of his enthusiasm. It suited him.

It didn't take us long to locate the garage who was apparently repainting his quad for him at an extra charge. I was shocked when he told me that the whole thing bust him about $8000, including VAT. I wanted to strangle him and tell him it was a waste of money but I could never do that to him, especially when this was making him happy. But then, a quad has four wheels, a bike only has two. At least he'd be safer on the quad than the bike. I wonder if he'd notice if his bike went missing one day? Probably. It's like his child.

We had to wait about thirty minutes as they were just making sure everything was dry and stuff. Chris was practically bouncing on the spot and I was taking much amusement out of watching him do so. The other guys in the garage were glancing between us, probably thinking we were together (which was kinda true, I think) but it didn't matter what they think. At least Chris wasn't paying them any attention this time. At about 1.30pm, the manager of the garage came strolling out to take Chris away for some paper work but not before his new toy was wheeled into the main garage. My eyes widened slightly as it looked a little intimidating but Chris laughed once in joy, bounding up to it whilst the other guys chuckled and watch him in envy as he straddled the quad. He felt across the handlebars, as if he was caressing it. I shook my head and rolled my eyes, which he caught.

"Seth, when you purchase something that you've waited years for, you'll understand why I'm acting like this." he told me, climbing off the bike and shaking the hand of guy. He must have been the main painter. It was simply a glossy black but I guess it was some other colour that Chris didn't like beforehand. The colour was nothing special in my eyes but in Chris', it seemed to be everything he's ever wanted.

I shrugged. "Sure, sure. Go sign all your paper work so that I can eat. I'm starving here." I whined, grinning. He rolled his eyes but nodded, following the manager behind some doors to an office. The other guys went back to work, though one offered me a seat and a soda. I accepted both thankfully. Chris wasn't in the office long and he was actually laughing and joking as he stepped out with the manager. I stood instantly, smiling at the joy on his face as he approached his 'baby' again. The manager smiled at me before addressing Chris.

"Now, I can't let you go with that unless you have a helmet. We sell them here if you don't have one." he told him.

Chris shook his head. "No, we don't have a helmet. I guess I could buy another one. Seth here needs one anyway. I have my other at home." he explained, grinning at me as my eyes widened.

"Why would I need a helmet?" I asked, suspiciously.

"Oh come on, you're totally riding on this baby with me. Besides, you have to ride my bike home, remember?" he reminded me, smirking. I scowled at him. The manager nodded and led Chris over to a selection of helmets that they had in different sizes. It was a little awkward when they were measuring my head and fitting the helmet but when it was all over, I smiled at Chris, actually liking the design that he picked out for me. Though, it wasn't like I needed the helmet. But, it was traffic laws and all. Had to be obeyed.

"No, I don't and I don't think I will." I told him stubbornly as I crossed my arms. He smirked.

"We'll see." he said simply, making em slightly nervous. It sounded like he was up to something.

"Right, well you're free to go now. Ride safely and remember you have that four year warranty if anything goes wrong. If it does, just come in and we'll fix her up for you." the manager explained, smiling at us politely before turning to his office. Chris grinned at me, throwing the helmet my way, which I caught easily.

"Put that on and don't argue." he ordered, sternly as he straddled the bike...I wished he would straddle something else... "Seth!"

"Huh? What?" I spluttered, embarrassed. He smirked at me, as if he knew where my thoughts were. I blushed crimson.

"I said, come and hop on. Don't worry. I won't let you fall off." he assured me as I approached him and the quad hesitantly, pulling on the helmet all the while. He smiled back at me as I swung my leg over, sliding up close to him before wrapping my arms around his waist, tightly. All the other guys in the shop was eyeing us now but I didn't care. I had my Chris in my arms. "You holding on tight enough, you think?"

I smirked and locked my fingers tighter around him. He sighed in satisfaction, grinning as he slid the key into the ignition and made the engine purr to life. He closed his eyes as if to savour the sound and I rolled my eyes at him, smiling. After a few seconds, he leaned forwards, shifting me with him, so that he could grab the handle bars. With one last wave to the other mechanics of the garage, he pulled the accelerator and shot out the garage.

I had to admit that riding on four wheels was way more enjoyable than two wheels. It felt safer and I felt better with Chris riding this one. His bike was just too unstable. If he leaned too far one way or the other as he was turning a corner, he could fall off. It was less likely that he'd fall off this quad and it made my wolf breathe a sigh of relief.

One thing that I did do was take the suffocating helmet from my head. Chris glanced back at me with an eye roll and grin but I shrugged. There was no way I was wearing that any longer. It was harder to scent my Chris and the actual helmet smelt funky as well. It had that 'new' smell to it and I hated it. I would have much rather enjoyed Chris' scent more. Definitely.

The traffic wasn't too bad cruising down the usually busy streets of Port Angeles. Chris seemed to be concentrating even more on the quad as eh was riding but he still managed to strike up conversation here and there, including where I wanted to go eat.

"Hm, I'm thinking a Mexican? What about you?" I asked, peering around the street. He shrugged.

"Sounds good. I know just the place." he replied, accelerating down the road. I held on tighter and watched as he pulled up in front of a nice Mexican place. It seemed cosy and I knew that I would be able to have to privacy with my Chris in here.

He allowed me to get up off the quad first, watching me over his shoulder before lifting his leg up and off as well until he was stood straight beside me. He gently took the helmet from me and then I grabbed his hand. He smiled lightly at me and then we made our way into the restaurant place. The hostess zoned in on the both of us immediately (although I think my Chris caught more of her attention to be honest. Not that I could blame her.) she smiled brightly and I'm sure that it was supposed to be seductive. Chris stepped forwards and requesting and table for two, which made her eyebrows furrow in curiosity and confusion as she glanced between the two of us. Chris' hand clenched in mine a little at her scrutiny but I squeezed it back in reassurance, throwing him a small, reassuring smile to boot. He sighed when the hostess turned and lead us further into the restaurant. We followed obediently.

We were seated at a table nearer the back of the place, thankfully and the hostess asked us what we wanted to drink, practically throwing her cleavage into my Chris' face. I took pride in the fact that it didn't faze him one bit but focused on her face briefly as he replied a simple, "OJ."

Put out, the hostess turned to me. "I'll have a coke, please? Thanks." I ordered, practically scowling at her back as she walked away after she'd thrown a flirty smile and wave at my table mate before departing. Chris rolled his eyes.

"Is it just my eyesight or does she had hot spicy sauce on her blouse?" he asked, looking at me smirking. I frowned in thought, glancing towards the hostess just as she turned to come back with our drinks. Sure enough, there it was. How could she have missed that? I tried not to let my amusement show but Chris saw that I had seen it and began to chuckle under his breath, making it harder for me to contain my own laughter.

"Um, here you go, guys. OJ and coke. Are you, erm, ready to order?" the hostess asked, eyeing the two of us as she could see our amusement about something and it was making her self-conscious. I tried to feel bad but it couldn't be helped. She was hitting on my Chris after all. Let's just say paybacks a bitch, I suppose. ]

"Oh, um...yeah, I'll have the enchiladas, please?" I ordered, trying not to glance up at her blouse because then I'd be a lost cause.

"Chilli. Thanks." Chris replied to the table, a grin on his face.

"Oh, hot, moderate or mild?" she asked.

"Hot."

She nodded hesitantly, glancing between the two of us once more before frowning to herself as she walked away with our order. Our eyes connected over the table and I was gone, overcome by my laughter. Chris was right there with me as we hunched over the table, clutching our sides. We were attracting attention but I didn't care. I was laughing with my Chris. I could see the waitresses/waiters and the hostess glancing over as well. She probably knew we were laughing at her for some reason.

When our food arrived, I dug straight in. I loved Mexican food. I was on my last enchilada (there were four large ones) before Chris had even taken his ten spoonful of chilli and he was staring at me in amusement.

"You're as bad as Paul. I'd hate to bring you both out here to a restaurant." he chuckled, shaking his head. I shrugged and blushed, taking another large bite around a sheepish grin.

"Am I embarrassing you?" I asked, frowning. I'd hate myself if I were. He rolled his eyes.

"Nah, I'm used to it. Order something else though. There's no way i'#ll be finished any time soon. This shit's hot. Just how I like it though." he chuckled, taking another bite. I eyed his dish sceptically.

"I hate hot food."

"And yet you love Mexican. I always knew you were a weird one." he laughed, smirking my way. I blushed again. "I adore Mexican. It was really the only thing I enjoyed eating when I was younger. The Marvins had a Mexican night that I looked forward to every week. Kenna used to make chilli like this one, though hers is way better." he told me, smiling. I sat there in momentary shock that he'd shared something about his past with me. It came out so easy and he seemed so comfortable talking about it. Was that because he'd already gotten most of it off his chest talking to Paul? Or was it me? Or maybe it was the fact that the Marvins were back in the picture and he felt more comfortable talking about them that way? I had no idea but I'll be damned if I wasn't happy as a clown that he was confiding in me.

"That's great. Mom was more of an Italian cook. Lasagne, paste bakes, pizza, spag-bol stuff like that. They're my childhood foods, I guess." I told him, shrugging.

"I've never been one for spag-bol. The spaghetti reminds me of worms. Urgh."  
"You don't like worms?"

"Hate them with a vengeance...but then, when you wake up to a bed full of them one morning because the other kids of the orphanage are sick bastards, you kinda develop a complex about them, you know?" he admitted, shrugging. I stared at him horrified. He chuckled. "Yeah, there was loads of them. I could feel them in my sleep. At first I thought that they were spiders but imagine my surprise when I flipped my bed cover over to see hundreds of worms wiggling to places no insect should venture. I only slept in my boxers and they fuckers can get _anywhere." _ he told me, meaningfully. I shuddered in disgust, shaking my head. He laughed again.

"So yeah...I guess you know one of my fears. Lucky you." he finished, smiling at me. I chuckled.

"I hate clowns." I told him, randomly. He nodded in agreement,.

"Creepy little fuckers. No one should be able to smile that much for so long, nor be around kids for that long. Not to mention the face paint – it makes them look demented or some shit." he chuckled. I nodded in agreement.

I stared at him mesmerised as he ate his chilli. He paid little attention to me, concentrating but I didn't mind. I'd rather watch him without blushing. I couldn't stop thinking about how this creature in front of me was mine, for the rest of my life, if he should chose me that is. He could be totally freaking out inside at what we were doing, what had happened between us. I mean, shit, I sucked his cock. He seemed okay with it but what if he was just trying to make me happy and in reality, he was miserable as a clown with no make-up or balloons. I didn't want him to be unhappy. If I had to let him go to make him happy then I would.

And what if I lost him soon anyway?

I couldn't believe that he was soon going to be thrown into the curse of Quileute guys, to become a wolf soon. What if he resented me for keeping it a secret from him for so long? What if he hated me for imprinting on him? That got me thinking about if he'd imprint on me back? The thought perked me up a little and I smiled. At that precise moment, he looked up but froze, seeing the expression on my face.

"What? Do I have chilli on my face?" he asked, wiping the sides of his mouth. I chuckled and shook my head, pulling his hand gently away from his face to link my fingers with his. He allowed me, watching them move down into my lap where I held and watched them. I could feel his eyes on me as I bit my lip. His hand squeezed mine a few times until I got the hint to lift my head to look at him. His eyes were concerned and I sighed. "What's up? You okay?"

"Yeah...I was just thinking, to be honest...A-Are you okay...with all this?" I asked, my eyes trained back on our hands. There was a silent, confused pause as he ran my words over in his head.

"Uh...I'm not quite sure what you mean, Seth." he admitted, quietly. I sighed and lifted our hands up so that they were eye level. He frowned.

"With all this...being seen with me...being..._with_ me?" I murmured, blushing and embarrassed. I couldn't hold his gaze any longer so I dropped it to his chilli, which was nearly all gone. Again, there was silence between us.

"Erm...I guess...I was a little freaked out about it...the morning after you spent the night but then, I thought back...to the night before and..." he stuttered, lowly. I risked it and lifted my gaze, surprised to see that a gorgeous blush decorated his cheeks. My free hand lifted on its own accord and my fingers ran across the redness. He jumped but didn't pull away, even leaning into my hand as I cupped his cheek.

"And?" I asked, shakily.

"And...I just couldn't stop thinking about how...no one has ever made me feel that way before. I've never...you know...anything like that and sure, at first, I was freaked out but as soon as...you touched me...i was gone. I knew that, whatever this is between us...I couldn't fight it anymore. I remembered Paul's advice about it being okay to like you and how...I could use all this for my fresh start. I'm back in school. I have job. I have brother, sister and I guess, now a nephew..." he trailed off, nervously as he pulled my hand towards him and began to play with my fingers with both hands. I star4ed at him in a trance, trying to comprehend what he was trying to say. This was the most I'd ever heard him speak, now that I thought about it. For a second, I couldn't stop thinking about how rough and gruff his voice was, and yet it sounded so sexy and nice.

I coughed, anxiously. "So...what about...me? Where do I fit into all this? If...If I do at all." I mumbled that last bit, sadly.

"I don't know..." he replied, chipping away at my heart a little bit. I tried to pull my hand away but he held it fast, pulling em closer. I still refused to look at him though. "But what I do know, is that I feel _something. _I know you do too. There's_ something_ between us and I don't know what that is but it's so strong and...I don't know how to fight anymore."

His voice cracked at the end, forcing my gaze up to his. His eyes were glassy and my heart clenched for him. I shifted closer in my chair so that we were knees to knees. I grasped his other hand and made him come even closer until our noses were brushing against each other. Our eyes closed briefly at the nice sensation before looking back at each other.

"Then don't...please don't? I could, I could make you so happy. I know I can. Just...let me try?" I whispered, emotionally. He hesitated for only a second before he pressed his lips to mine softly. My heart inflamed and I couldn't help the moan that escaped my mouth. I felt him smirk against me. Eventually, we pulled away and I could feel the wide grin spread over my face. Chris chuckled slightly at the sight but then turned serious and slightly anxious. He looked down at his hands, fiddling with his fingers nervously. I just sat there, knowing that he had something to say but didn't know how to say it. After a few minutes past, I reached over for one of his hands. "Chris? What is it?"

"Huh, oh, erm...I-I don't know how this is going to turn out, Seth." he murmured so lowly that I had to strain to hear it myself. Then I frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is...I'll try...but I can't guarantee anything, Seth. I'm not used to this, to showing so much emotion. Before moving to La Push, I hardly even smiled and laughing, well, that wasn't even a passing thought for me. These feelings, I've never had them before...not even with Molly, not really. His different and I can tell you now that I might freak out a lot...but I'll try because, well...that is to say that I...I like you Seth. And I'm at least okay with doing that right now. I'm just not sure how much more I'll be able to express or handle."

I reached forward and grabbed his other hand, pulling him towards me, smiling lightly. "Chris, hey, I understand, okay? I understand that you'll need time. We can go as slow or fast as you want. You've said you'll try and that's all I could ever ask for, okay? It'll be fine, I promise." I assured him, staring him right in the eyes. He swallowed hard and nodded. I pulled him towards me for a hug. "C'mere."

We were separated some time later when our waiter returned for our dishes and to take our dessert orders. I smiled at Chris to go first and he requested some weird cinnamon churros with some chocolate sauce, whatever the hell they were. They sounded good though so I ordered the same along with a double portion of their Mexican chocolate ice cream. I loved my ice cream. Chris looked over at me and shook his head, chuckling. I blushed.

"What?" I asked, innocently. He laughed.

"Nothing. I just don't think I'll ever get used to the amount you all eat on the Res." he admitted, smiling. _Oh, just you wait, you'll be eating as much as we are._ I thought to myself as I chuckled.

Dessert was amazing, especially as we moved so that we were sat on the same side of the table. We were so close that our thighs touched from knee to hip and I had one of my arms around his waist, keeping him plastered to my side as I ate one handedly. The churros turned out to be better than the ice cream and Chris was constantly batting my hand away from his whenever I tried to snag one (I'd eaten all of mine by that point, you see). All I could do was laugh happily because this had to be one of the best lunches of my life. Fuck, scrap that, it's been the best _day_ of my life and it's not even over yet.

"Right, well, I'm finished. Ready to go?" Chris asked, standing from his seat and my embrac.e I pouted secretly but nodded, smiling up at him. "I'll just go settle the check."

he was off before I could protest and I scowled at his back. The sneaky little shit. I sighed and shook my head, grabbing his jacket from the back of his chair before heading over to where he was at the counter. He saw me coming and smirked, handing over the check with a credit card poking out the end of it. I stepped up behind him and wrapped my arms around his waist, resting my chin on his shoulders. Again, we were attracting attention but I didn't give a shit.

"That was mean. What if it was my treat?" I asked, pouting at him. He laughed.

"Next time, maybe." he assured me, smiling. It took me a second to realise what he'd said and I grinned widely, my cheeks hurting. Next time? Fuck yeah! The waiter came back with Chris' credit card and I noticed that it was one of those black ones. Hadn't they got no limit or some shit? I was curious but I didn't want to ask something that'll piss him off or invade his privacy. He saw me eyeing it anyway and sighed, smiling as he stuffed his wallet back into his back pocket.

"Yeah, my Grandmother was kinda well off. Her husband, my granddad I guess, was from old money and he also owned some sort of oil company as well. Let's just say I don't have to worry about money for the rest of my life." he explained, sheepishly and kinda apprehensive. I stared at him dumbfounded before shaking my head to clear it.

"Wow, okay...I guess that explains how you have a house. Most kids that emancipate themselves don't do very well first of- Oh shit, I'm sorry. I didn't-"

"Don't sweat it and I know. I'm lucky I guess. At least my grandmother cared, huh? Oh, and mom of course. She opened trust funds for me and everything she owned was liquidised and put in there when she died." he told me nonchalantly. I nodded, still slightly dazed. He glanced at me as we exited the restaurant. "You don't see me as some spoilt rich kid now, do you?"

I frowned at him and pulled him into my arms, shaking my head. "No, of course not. You're just Chris. And you're definitely not spoilt, even I know that. You're just Chris, amazing, funny and absolutely gorgeous." I sighed, grinning down at him. He blushed deeply before pushing em away playfully, chuckling embarrassed.

"Get away from me, weirdo. Who calls another guy gorgeous?" he laughed, giving em a weird look. I laughed and pulled him back as we started down the side walk. "Oh wait, where are we going?"

"I dunno. What do you wanna do?" I asked, looking around. There was a bunch of shops everywhere. He stood there looking thoughtful for a while as I watched him, smiling to myself. I knew when he decided because he grinned up at me.

"Let's buy you some leathers." he said, adamantly. My eyes widened and my head instantly began to shake.

"No, no way. I'll cook. Have you noticed how hot my skin is?" I asked him, incredulously. He chuckled and grabbed my hand, dragging to towards some bike accessory shop that was place conveniently near by.

"You'll be fine. Okay then, a compromise. You have to get some super dark jeans and at least a leather jacket. Oh, and some gloves and boots. Please?" he asked, slightly begging. I frowned at him, still unsure. "Oh, come on, you have to know how hot you'll look!"

And then, as if he couldn't believe what he had just said, his hand clapped over his mouth and his eyes widened drastically. I could see the blush forming behind his hand and I couldn't help the grin that overcame my face or the booming laugh that escaped my chest. Before he died of embarrassment, I pulled him towards me, removing his hands from his face (where he'd just placed them) before looking him straight in the eyes.

"If I look half as hot as you do, I think I'll have to give it a shot." I told him, seriously but smiling. He looked at me for a second before grinning and nodding. He pulled me the rest of the way to the shop, leading me inside.

About an hour later, we were lumbered with bags for both him and I. He bought some new riding gear, saying you couldn't have too much. It took forever but we managed to find some black jeans that were actually long enough for me as well as some gloves that fit my hands comfortably. We didn't find any boots but Chris assured me that he'd find some online. Buying the accessories though, I was beginning to feel slightly more excited about riding. Actually...

"Chris, you know I don't know how to actually ride you bike, right?" I told him, sceptically. He chuckled and nodded.

"Yep. That's why I'm going to teach you." he replied simply. I was surprised that I hadn't actually paled at the thought but smiled, excitedly. It's amazing what a good pair of black jeans and gloves could do for you confidence levels. Huh.

We shopped a little more and I did wondered vaguely how we were getting it all home. Imagine my surprise when Chris said he'd just get it delivered by someone. Having money must be nice. About two hours after our Mexican lunch, I was beginning to feel peck-ish again. We got a couple of hot-dogs from the cart we passed in the park and sat on a bench for a few minutes whilst we devoured them. That was another thing that seemed to be advancing with Chris, his appetite. When we finished those, we decided to call it a day and head towards a delivery company for all our bags. I stood back whilst Chris handled it, using his black card once again. We'd smile at each other every few minutes until he was handed back his card and we handed them the bags and sorted out the address and stuff.

"Is that Pick 'n' Mix?" Chris asked amused on our way back to the Quad. I chuckled and nodded, offering him a long snake. He took it with a grin and shake of his head.

"Yeah, I got it whilst you were sorting out the delivery." I told him as he climbed on the quad and waited for me to hop on too. I did without hesitation this time and I smiled proudly to myself.

When we got back to the multi-storey car park, we found his bike quickly and easily. He parked the quad beside it before telling to hop off and then getting off himself. He then got on the bike and gestured with his head to follow. I frowned but did as I was told.

"What we doing?" I asked, curiously.

"Going to riding school so I hope you're paying attention. I'm going to ride around Port Angeles for a while and you're going to take notes. I know you're a fast learner. Paul told me. When we get back here, if it's not to crowded, I'll coach you a couple times to ride on your own until you're comfortable. Cool?" he said, glancing back at me I grinned and nodded.

Then we were off...

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**Okay, lame ending but I wanted to get this out for you guys! I hope you liked it and I'm sorry that it's taken longer than I wanted.**

**Please review!**

**Love,  
****MrsWolfPack  
****x**

**p.s There's also a picture of the Quad on my photobucket, which is accessible from my profile. Thanks! :D**

**p.s.s I'm aware that a couple of lines from the restaurant are similar to E+B's scene. Oh well :)**


	18. Mending

**Hey, hey, my Lovelies!**

**I know that this is a short chapter but I wanted to get something out to you. I guess this is just a filler chapter and probably not very good. I'm thinking a lot about this story and where it's leading so bear with me :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own twilight! Unfortunately…D:**

**Without further ado…Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 17**

**Mending**

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**Seth's Point of View**

It has been a couple of months since our day in Port Angeles. Chris and I have been getting closer and closer, though one aspect was scarce. He refused to go any further than kissing me; I couldn't even touch him anymore. If I tried, he just pushed me away and made an excuse. I knew I should push him but I thought that things were going good, you know? He seemed to enjoy it that first time. I couldn't understand why he'd backed off in that respect. But otherwise, we were spending a lot more time together. I was constantly at his house and he'd cook for the both of us every night, which was nice.

The Marvins had long since found their own place, much to Chris' relief. He was still unsure of how to be around them or what to make of them. I think he was just afraid that they'd up and leave him like all the others. Then again, I could see in his eyes that he was somewhat happy that they were here. I knew that he had missed them greatly.

They seemed nice and cheery to me. Their boy, Greg, was funny and he followed the guys around all the time whenever they were around. Hayley was quiet and I'd often see her staring at Chris for some reason or another. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing like love or anything in her stare. It was more like she didn't know how to approach him, like she needed to speak to him but was unsure whether he'd talk to her or not. You could tell that Scott and Kenna loved each other very much and that they adored their baby. She was growing fast now and had taken a liking to Chris.

It was actually funny how kids seemed to gravitate towards Chris now that he was over his fear of them and the whole pregnancy issue. Not only did Kenna and Rachel's kids zing right up to him when he entered a room but also some kids at the park on time we were there with Alex. It was weird. They all wanted him to play with them and I could tell that he had been somewhat uncomfortable with the kids' attentions.

Alex was about three months now. He was adorable and cute. He only just started staying over at Chris' house so that Rach and Paul could have some alone time but he loved it. I knew Chris loved spending time with the little guy and it made me wonder whether it'd ever be something Chris would ever want. Would he want a family? I didn't know.

Chris had shot up a good few inches in the last month or so. He now stood head to head with Sam, who was at least six four. The only wolf that was taller than Chris now was Jacob, who stood at six seven. His muscle mass had grown exponentially and I knew that it had slightly freaked him out, though he never said anything to say so. One morning, I'd caught Chris in the bathroom, looking at himself in the mirror with wide eyes as if he'd just noticed the changes to his body. It was rather funny actually.

Jacob was worried about him though. Even though Chris wasn't a very temperate guy unless he was provoked, he was silent and broody, which still made him dangerous. You could never truly decipher what was going on in his head or his mood. Jake was confused as to why he hadn't phased yet and why it was taking so long. He'd played around with the idea of forcing the phase but he dismissed that notion because he didn't want to jeopardise the rocky friendship that had developed between them and some of the other guys.

It could happen any time though. It was just going to take a certain trigger.

True to his word, Joshua had kept his distance from his youngest son. I was still a little pissed with how he's treated him in the past but I was thankful that he seemed to be doing as he'd promised. It was Sam who was being difficult. He kept trying to get me to convince him to talk to Sam but I wasn't about to force him to do something he didn't want to do, not that I could. Chris had his own mind and he wasn't one to be told what to do.

It was Embry who was surprising Chris. He hadn't been pestering him but he'd not left him alone either. He greet him every morning, since he was back at work after his wife had the baby, but then would leave him to his job. Every evening, he'd bid him farewell. Gradually, as Chris had gotten used to him slowly, he'd add an aspect of small talk, asking him how he was, if he had a good weekend and so on. Sure, Chris only began answering with one or two worded answers but in time, he asked them back. It was nice seeing him slowly build a rocky relationship with his brother. It was by no means a stable one and it could break down in a second but it as a start. I could see that Embry was also happy with the progress he was making.

He made headway when Chris brought the Quad into the shop for a service. Embry's eyes had lit up at the sight of it and he adopted a thoughtful expression as he watched Chris.

"Yo, Jake, you mind if I work on this today?" Chris called out towards the back room. Jake's head peeked out at his beckoning and looked at his and the Quad. He nodded.

"Yeah sure, it's a slow day today anyway. We'll just be servicing as they come in. Go ahead." He allowed before moving back to where he come from.

Chris grinned and pulled on some overalls. I watched, practically drooling as he pulled of his tank top afterwards. It was unusually hot in La Push and I'd never been more grateful for that fact than today. Chris glanced at me over his shoulder and smirked as he saw me watching him. I blushed and turned back to my job, shaking my head. His soft chuckle met my ears.

Then I heard Embry's voice, addressing Chris…

**Chris' Point of View**

"Chris?" a low, hesitant voice asked behind me. I knew that voice and I couldn't help the small sigh that escaped as I turned around to face Embry Call.

It had been weird between the two of us for the past two months. He'd talk to me and shit, say hello and good bye at first but then he started asking questions. In the beginning, I thought that he was being a nosey little shit and I was reluctant to answer him but I did out of politeness. It got easier being around him, answering his questions with something other than one worded answers. I found myself actually taking an interest in his own life, asking my own questions, however small they were.

It seemed that today there was going to be a similar situation with my 'brother', though he was never this hesitant. He looked like he wanted to ask something he wouldn't normally and I braced myself.

"What's up?" I asked lowly, turning back to the Quad. He cleared his throat and I gave him a confused look. He seemed nervous. What the fuck did he want?

"Well…uh…"

"Spit it out, Embry. I don't have all day." I sighed, impatiently. He sighed and nodded to himself.

"I was just wondering whether you wanted, um, any help?" his voice hitched at the end, making it sound like a question. I cocked an eyebrow at him in question. He ploughed on, "I mean, I kinda know my way around Quads and I figured, maybe, you like some help."

I stared at him, assessing his weird behaviour. He seemed to genuinely want to help out with the Quad and I didn't doubt his abilities with them either but I couldn't help wondering whether I would be able to tolerate hi extended presence. I mean, the small talk was alright, I guess but to work together and have a full blown conversation? Sounded like a recipe for an awkward situation. But then, he looked so earnest and hopeful, eyeing the quad with reverence.

I was torn, surprisingly.

"Erm…I dunno." I hedged, scrubbing the back of my neck. A pair of eyes caught mine over his shoulder and I looked at Seth, who was smiling. He gave me a small encouraging nod and it seemed that was all it took for me to change my mind. "Okay, fine."

"Really?" he asked, lighting up. I nodded, looking down at the floor. "Awesome! What are you doing with it?"

"I, uh, wanted to up the speed limit a little. Other than that, it just needs general maintenance." I informed him, awkwardly. It seemed the awkwardness wasn't affecting him much as he was too excited about the quad. He nodded and moved towards it.

"Cool, that should be no problem. I guessing you know how to up the speed?" he asked, peering at me with a grin. I chuckled slightly and nodded.

"You would guess right." I replied, moving in next to him. I was surprised at how fast the awkwardness was dissipating.

"So how was your morning?" he asked. I shrugged.

"Fine, I guess. It's nice having the house to myself again."

"You don't like the Marvins?" he asked, frowning. I frowned too. He'd never been so forward, especially so soon in the conversation. I shrugged.

"It's not that, really…I dunno. How's your family?" I asked, lowly. He grinned madly, his eyes glazing over with something I couldn't identify.

"They're doing well. Hector's so big now. He can walk with the sofa and stuff. Diana is fine; she wants another one." he added, chuckling to him. I smiled and nodded. "You…um, you should come see him maybe…sometime."

I peered at him in confusion. "See who?" I asked. He hesitated.

"Hector. I mean, he is, you know, your nephew." He mumbled, not meeting my gaze. I tensed slightly at the reminder of the two of us sharing a father. I didn't reply and he sighed heavily. "Chris…for what it's worth, I'm sorry for what Josh did, or didn't do whichever way you want to look at it."

"I don't want to talk about this." I mumbled, frowning deeply as anger began to surface in me for the scum I called a father. He sighed.

"I know and I was hesitant to bring it up but…I want Hector to know his whole family, you know? It has nothing to do with Josh or us for that matter. I just want Hector to meet you." Embry explained, softly. I remained silent. "Just…tell me you'll think about meeting my son?"

I sighed heavily and closed my eyes. "Fine, I'll think about it." I replied through gritted teeth. I saw him grin out the corner of my eye. "But I wouldn't count on it."

"Just think about it." He replied, turning back to the quad.

We worked in companionable silence for the rest of the morning, servicing cars that came in between quad jobs. Every so often, I would meet gazes with Seth and he'd smile at me almost proudly. That was the only thing that allowed me to stay in Embry's presence, knowing that it was making Seth happy and proud for me. it was weird to feel like I needed his acceptance when I'd never really thought about it before. People either liked me or they didn't; I never really fought for someone to change their opinions of me.

I realised then that it's what I've been doing since I got here. I changed for Sue, who brought the dormant momma's boy side out of me. That woman was born to be a mother and she had a way with me that no one else did. Paul was another person who had changed me. I'd never truly claimed any siblings for myself in the many foster homes I've been to. The closest person I'd called a brother was Greg. Paul had weaselled his way into my life and i found that I liked him there. Of course, he brought along Rach and Alex as well. It was like I had my own little family going on, which I'd never had before.

And Seth, he's been the one I'd changed for the most, the guy who makes me want to be better. I'd never expected anyone like him to get to me. His sunny, cheery demeanour was always amazing to be around; it was like he was a mirror of me. I was dark and broody but he was bright and happy. It was like was balanced each other out. Opposites attract, indeed. Bu throughout the time I've been here, he's been there for me. He's supported me in everything that I've ever done and I don't think I've given him much credit for that. That made me feel shitty.

I peered over at Seth again, my mind speculative as I thought over the ways I could pay him back for this undying support. He looked up then, sensing my gaze on him and his cheeks flushed sexily. I startled myself at my own thoughts. Sexily? What's gotten into me? He smiled at me then and all thoughts escaped me. I couldn't' help but smile back slightly. His widened like he'd achieved an impossible feat and I chuckled, shaking my head. I saw Embry glance between us a couple of times before grinning.

"He really likes you, you know?" he told me. I nodded. I knew that. I knew Seth liked me more than a friend, if the way he sucked my cock gave any indication.

"Yeah." Was all I said, giving Seth one last smile before turning back to my job before me.

"Do you like him?" he asked, smirking. I rolled my eyes.

"I guess." I admitted, blushing slightly. He chuckled.

"Then what are you waiting for?" he asked, confused. I hesitated. Did I really want to talk to him about this? He was as good a person as any, right?

"I dunno, really…I guess, it's just that…people I get close to…They always seem to…"

"Leave?" he asked, sympathetically. I sighed and nodded. "He'd never do that, you know that right? None of us here will ditch you now. You might not believe it, Chris but you've become family to a lot of us. I know Jacob even sees you more than an employee. You're his friend. Paul sees you as a little brother and I know Rachel does as well."

"Yeah, I know that. But that doesn't mean I'm not terrified they'd just turn their back." I mumbled. "You wouldn't get it, Embry. I mean, sure, you grew up without a dad but at least you had your mom and your friends. I was technically an orphan jumping from family to family. I couldn't make friends. I wouldn't allow myself to get attached to anyone for a long time because nothing ever lasted.

"My first and only girlfriend was when I was 14. She was killed in a car accident. The Marvins, the ones who moved here a couple of months ago to be closer to me, were the first family that made me feel at home and I actually thought that it would work out but it didn't, I was sent back to the orphanage and I was forced to emancipate myself to avoid getting attached to another family.

"You don't know the definition of hardship and loss. You don't know anything." I trailed off in a whisper, my gaze locked on the floor. I felt a pang of loneliness surface in my as well as mortification at the realisation of what I'd said to him. I could feel his eyes on me but I refused to meet his gaze. I didn't want to see the pity and sympathy in his eyes.

"I'm sorry." He sighed, not knowing what else to say. I finally looked up at him.

"Don't be. Nothing can be changed. Excuse me." I mumbled, throwing down the wrench I was holding before walking towards the back room. Jacob looked up as I walked past him.

"You alright?" he asked, worriedly. I nodded.

"Just taking a small break. You mind?" I asked, hoping that he didn't. Technically, we shouldn't be having a break for another hour. He nodded, watching me as I disappeared into the break room.

I took a seat on the couch, leaning forward heavily on my knees. I sighed deeply, shaking my head. I didn't know how long I sat there in silence but the break room door opened. My gaze snapped up and I sighed in relief as Seth peeked into the room. I smiled slightly and relief passed over his face. He stepped further into the room and closed the door behind him, his eyes roaming over my frame as if looking for some sort of injury. I gave no protest as he approached me and gingerly sat on the couch beside me.

"Hey." I murmured lowly. He smiled gently, placing a hand on my shoulder. I sighed at the contact.

"Hey, you okay?" he asked, worriedly. I nodded.

"Yeah, I think so. I just didn't expect all of that to come out, you know?" I said. He nodded. "So you heard?"

"Yeah but I was pretty close anyway. The guys heard snippets but they were trying not to listen. Don't worry, no one will say anything and I could tell that Embry felt like shit after you stormed off." Seth informed me, softly. I nodded. "Are you gonna take him up on his offer?"

"What?" I asked, confused.

"To see Hector? He's really a great kid."

"I don't know…I don't want to get attached to anyone else."

"Chris…it's okay to form friendships. Look at you and me, you and Paul. Rachel and Jacob. You formed a friendship with us. Why not with a little kid?"

"I don't want to talk about this." I sighed.

"Fine, but I'm here if you want to talk. I still think you should take him up on it though." He opinionated. I nodded.

"So what are you doing back here? Does Jake know where you are?" I asked, smirking at him. He chuckled.

"Yeah, he does. I came to see if my friend was okay, if you must know." He chuckled, shoving me gently. He scoffed and shoved him back. "You'll pay for that."

"Oh, really, I'm intrigued. Do your worst Clearwater." I taunted, jokingly. His eyes flashed and I couldn't even react as his lips pressed to mine, hard. I gasped softly. His tongue slid into my mouth and I couldn't stop the moan from escaping my throat.

He kissed me like a man possessed, grasping the back of my neck to prevent me from moving away as he practically fucked my mouth with his tongue. I held his cheeks in my hands, pressing my face closer to his and fighting his tongue back with my own. He moaned as I bit his and he retracted it from my mouth, moaning as my tongue followed it through. I traced his entire mouth, feeling the solidness of his teeth and the pliability of his tongue and cheeks.

My hands clutched his hips and pulled me towards me on the couch. I leaned over him and he melted into me. Something deep inside of me stirred at his submission and I growled. He moaned in response and fisted my hair, imploring my mouth to leave his. I complied but I didn't pull away, trailing kisses across his jaw and down his warm neck. He bit his lip and pressed my head into his skin, moaning softly in his chest.

"Chris…" he sighed in longing and my insides clenched deliciously. No one had ever said my name that way before, with so much affection and care. "Chris, kiss me."

I obliged him only because I wanted to and for the fact that I couldn't seem to deny him anything. Somehow, the kiss was different this time, softer and more controlled. His lips gave way to mine and my tongue slid in smoothly, revelling in the warmth and wetness. His arms wrapped around my neck and he sighed against me, pressing his chest to mine.

My head was in a daze. I couldn't think straight. Kissing Seth seemed like some sort of drug. I couldn't get enough. Just the feeling of him in my arms was enough to not make me want to move but I knew that we should. Break would be called any second now and I knew that I didn't want the guys to see us here like this.

Reluctantly, I pulled away from his lips and he moaned in protest, opening his eyes wide. He has never looked so adorable before.

"We should stop." I whispered, swallowing hard. He pouted.

"But why?" he whined, softly. He tried to press his lips back to mine but I pulled back. He moaned in protest again, louder. "Chris…"

"Seth, we're at work. I don't want to do this here." I told him, biting the inside of my cheek so that I wasn't tempted to just forget about it and kiss him senseless again.

"They won't barge in. They know we're in here." He informed me. I blushed.

"And that makes it any better, how? They're probably waiting for a break so let's stop." I replied. He sighed heavily and nodded but didn't pull away. With eyes that reminded me of a sad little puppy, he leaned in slightly, pleadingly. I sighed and shook my head in amusement. I knew what he wanted. It surprised me that I wanted the same thing. Conceding, I met him halfway for another kiss, a lot tamer and gentler than the last two but it enticed the same reaction out of him. He moaned softly before pulling away.

"I love kissing you." He sighed, dreamily. I blushed scarlet and coughed awkwardly. He chuckled. "Don't clam up on me now…I like to think that, maybe, you like kissing me two?"

I noticed the question in his voice and chuckled. "Yeah, I guess. It can be…interesting." I agreed, smirking. He frowned in confusion.

"What do you mean, 'interesting'?"

"I mean…I find the noises you make interesting." I explained, smirking as his blush deepened and he ducked his head. "Don't worry though; I like them."

"Good." He replied, more cheerily. I chuckled and pecked his cheek. He smiled brightly.

"Come on, let's get back out there." I prompted, getting up from the sofa. He sighed and nodded, grasping my hand as we walked towards the door. His forwardness surprised me but I smiled down at him, opening the door.

Catcalls and whistles greeted us and I ducked my head in embarrassment. Seth laughed heartily and he pecked me cheek before letting my hand go to go back to his station. I blushed and hurried back over to the quad, where Embry was still standing. My approach slowed as I saw the expression on his face and my dropped my gaze.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel bad. I just wanted to get to know you." He explained, sadly. I sighed.

"Don't worry about it. If you hadn't noticed, I take things the wrong way so let's just forget about it." I told him. He smiled and nodded, holding his hand out. I stared at it for a second before shrugging and shaking it.

"No hard feelings?" he asked. I smirked.

"No hard feelings." I echoed, nodding.

Little did I know that those words rang louder than I thought…

* * *

**They ya go! Please review!**

**Love,  
****MrsWolfPack  
****x**


	19. Too Dangerous

**Hey, hey, my Lovelies!**

**Thanks to those of you who reviewed! It means a bunch! :)**

**There's some fluff in this one for you but in the next chapter, I have a little surprise for you ;D This one's a short one but oh well :) It's better than nothing, right?**

**Please review!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own twilight! Unfortunately...D:**

**Without furtherado...Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 18**

**Too Dangerous**

* * *

**Jacob's Point of View**

I brushed past Chris this morning. He was burning hotter and hotter every day and it was beginning to worry me. He was teetering between the phase – he could change at any second and that was too dangerous to be left alone. He could snap and hurt someone, Seth even or one of the Marvins.

The Pack and I would have to talk about the best course of action but my mind was heading in one direction, to be honest. I wasn't sure what the others would think or if they would even go for it but I didn't really see any other way around it. Chris had to phase, and soon.

"When's the pack coming for the meeting?" Bella asked across the kitchen as I sat at the kitchen table, calculating the bills. I looked up at her and then at the clock, sighing.

"They should be here any second, really. Honey, you really didn't have to make so much food." I told her as she set yet another dish on the table. She snorted, cutely.

"Oh please, don't give me that. The _whole_ pack will be here, along with all the imprints and the couple of the children and you say we don't need this much food?" She asked incredulously. I chuckled.

"Alright, alright, I see your point." I agreed, standing from the table and drawing her into my arms before she had a chance to walk away from me. She sighed and leaned into me. I leaned down and kissed her gently.

"What are you going to do about Chris? He's gotta be getting more unstable by the day." She asked, frowning in worry. She hadn't even really met him yet and she cared for him like any of the other wolves, our brothers. I sighed heavily.

"I have an idea but I doubt he's going to like it." I chuckled to myself.

"That's the point, right? To get him angry." She pointed out. I nodded and pecked her forehead.

"Hey boss, what's this about?" Jared asked as he strolled in through the front door with Kim on his arm. I smiled and nodded at them both in greeting. Behind them, Brady and Collin strolled in with their imprints.

"Hey guys take a seat but don't touch the food until everyone gets here." I wanted them, shooting a look towards Brady in particular.

He smirked and shrugged innocently but I knew his game it wouldn't surprise me if he tried to sneak something beforehand. It's a good job Bells had acute eyes for that shit, as well as many, many wooden spoons to break over their heads. Seriously, she bought them for that sole purpose when she realised they work. Paul had been the one to actually help her figure that one out.

I cleared the table of all the bills and shit as my wolf brothers continued to trickle into my home. First, Sam and Emily and then Embry and Diane with their son, Hector. Seth was the last to arrive along with Paul and Rachel. My nephew Alex wasn't with them.

"Hey, where's my little man?" I asked, pouting teasingly. Rachel giggled and rolled her eyes as I pulled her and then Paul into a hug.

"We left him with Chris. He's so amazing with him now and Alex loves spending time with him. It's very rare he isn't whining for his Uncle Chris." She chuckled, shaking her head fondly. I smiled and nodded.

"Well, I should be jealous but I'm not. It's great Chris' coming along so well." I expressed. She nodded. I turned to Seth as both she and Paul went to the dining room. "Oh Seth, just a heads up – this meeting's about Chris and his phase."

"Oh, okay." He mumbled nodding worriedly. I slapped him on the shoulder softly, reassuringly. "It's okay, Seth. It won't be anything too drastic but we should talk about it. He should phase very, very soon, like in the next six or seven days, soon."

"Are we allowed to eat yet?" Collin shouted from the kitchen and I rolled my eyes at Seth, who smirked. I gestured my head for him to follow me and he did. He took a seat between Jared and Brady whilst I took my alpha place at the head of the table.

Becoming Alpha had been hard in the beginning. Despite the peaceful exchange of power between Sam and I, it was hard for him to truly let go. I'd made him my Beta but it was weird for him to suddenly have someone he's has to answer to, especially when that someone had been a guy who he'd watched phase and train to be the wolf he is now. I wouldn't be as great of a wolf as I am now if it wasn't' for Sam. With the help of Emily and I, he soon adjusted to the transition and was now loving life in a slower lane within the pack.

I was surprised with my easier transition into my role. I found that I loved it here in the fast lane, taking care of my brothers and making sure that our land was kept safe from bloodsuckers. Billy had since 'retired' from the Chief of the Tribe and I had taken up his mantle now, making him prouder than ever before. It was nice, having him so proud of me. it made my role and duty to the tribe even better.

Bella kissed the top of my head as she placed my own heaping plate in front of me on the table. Before she could walk away, I pulled her back towards me by her waist, gently into my lap. She smiled. We all ate for a little bit with the usual rambunctious noise of the pack whilst I shared my plate with my Bells. After a while, I cleared my throat and all attention in the room was redirected towards me. I wouldn't lie and say that my wolf didn't fucking love it either.

"Alright, so the main reason why we're all here is because of Chris. He's very close to phasing and extremely dangerous. I'm certain that it's not going to be any longer than a few days until he changes and I want someone constantly phased until he does so that he's not alone his first time." I ordered. They all nodded.

"Do you want to force the phase?" Paul asked. I nodded.

"I think that would be for the best, Paul." I admitted. I heard Seth sigh heavily. "Seth, I know you probably hate the idea but if we don't, we run the risk of someone who's in the wrong place at the wrong time getting hurt. I can't risk that, especially when that could possibly be you in the line of fire. I'm not proposing violence but I doubt Chris would like my idea better than that."

"Which is?" Embry asked, warily. I think he knew where my head was at.

"You, Sam and Josh. He's already pissed with each of you because of the past and he's so close; I doubt that it would take much provocation to get him to phase. Besides, this way, Seth won't become savage and attack someone if any of us hurt his imprint."

"Thank you, Jake." Seth sighed in relief. I nodded at him with a smile.

"Um, Jake, I'm not really comfortable with this at all." Embry mumbled, his head bowed and looking just as much uncomfortable as he was claiming to be right now.

I should have thought about Embry in this plan. I don't know why I hadn't. He and Chris had been working on a somewhat fragile friendship. Chris was in no way about to claim and acknowledge his brotherhood with Embry yet, far from it but they had become somewhat civil with each other, getting to know each other. That within itself was a feat that Embry was most proud of.

I knew that he didn't want to risk destroying everything he's worked so hard on so far, which would inevitably happen were he to get involved in this.

"And what? You think that I am?" Sam snapped at his brother across the table.

"What? It's not like you've tried like I have! I've spoken to him, gotten to know him. He's beginning to trust me even and I don't want to throw that away. You've done nothing towards getting to know him, to forming a relationship with him." He protested, glaring at Sam, who in turn returned the glare with as much ferocity.

"That's not the point. He's still my brother and I don't want to force him into this life, to be the focus of his resent by forcing him into it."

"I doubt Josh would feel comfortable either but it's happening, Sam. If you don't do this, the other way that would entice enough anger would be violence-"

Seth's loud growl cut me off and I sighed, peering down the table at h8im. His fists were clenched in front of him on the table and he was shaking badly. I sighed again.

"Seth, clam down, now. I'm not going to let it come to that. Sam, I'm sorry, but you're going to have to take one for the team. I'm going to talk to Josh tomorrow and I'm sure he'll agree to do it as well." I told Sam, who sighed, aggravated. Embry smiled at me with thanks. I nodded in acknowledgement.

"Fine, whatever. When should we do this?" he asked, gritting his teeth.

"In the next couple of days, I should think, if he doesn't phase sooner. I'll talk to Josh later." I replied. "Before I go on, is there anything anyone would like to say? Any news or anything?"

"Hector took his first steps yesterday." Diane proudly announced from Embry's knee. He grinned up at her and then down at the toddler in her lap. I grinned widely.

"That's awesome, guys." I laughed. Others around the table shared my sentiments. "You'll be in for it now."

"Yeah, you definitely will." Emily giggled and I knew she was thinking about Sammy Jr. He walked just after he turned 9 months and he was running a week after that. Emily hadn't had it good during that time.

"Okay, so if that's all, I wanted to talk about the leech scent Brady and Leah picked up last night." I prompted one of them to speak up and with a look between them, Brady spoke.

"It was near the south-east boarder. It wasn't one I recognised so I'm guessing it's the first time they came through. It was only a trace and it was heading away from here so I didn't bother howling. I told Jake when he took me off at two this morning." He informed us. Leah nodded.

"I haven't told Jake this yet, since I've just come off patrol but I scent ed it again near the Cullens border. It's possible that it's a friend of theirs." She informed me. I nodded.

"I'll call Carlisle and ask who it could be if you want. Obviously they aren't here anymore but they still might now, right?" Bella offered from my lap and I nodded, kissing her cheek.

"Yeah, sure that'd be good, Baby." I replied. She nodded and hopped off my lap, looking at Brady.

"Did you see what he looked like maybe?" she asked.

"Dark hair, same pale complexion, tatty clothes. He was a veggie though." He added as an afterthought and o rolled my eyes. He hadn't told me that detail. He smiled at me apologetically. Bella nodded and pulled out her cell phone, dialling the Cullens' number over in England. It rang for a few seconds before someone picked up. I think it was a muscular leech, Emmett.

"Bella-roo, long time, no hear. How's the mutt?" he asked in his deep cheery voice. I rolled my eyes but smirked as Bella huffed.

"Don't call him that, you Behemoth." She scolded, making the lot of us crack up. Emmett laughed as well.

"He helped you grow a backbone. Awesome. So what's up?" he asked.

"I dunno whether you'd know or not but we were expecting any veggie visitors recently? I know you're in England but there's been some vamp activity near the border next to Forks. Brady said it was a veggie." Bella explained. It was silent for a couple of seconds.

"No, not that I know of. Hold on, I'll just call Carlisle and ask. He's at the hospital." Emmett replied. Bella nodded and she was put on hold for approximately 15 seconds. "No Bella-roo. No Veggie visitors. Is everything alright? Do you need us there?"

I shook my head. "No, we're fine. Jacob just wanted to know whether he and the pack could torch it or not. Thanks for the info, Em." She told him. I smirked at my imprint's back, proud. Emmett laughed loudly.

"Torch it? Where's your vamp love gone, bells?" Emmett asked, putting on a fake wounded tone. She rolled her eyes.

"More like Cullen love, Em. Other vamps can rot in hell." She replied.

"That's my girl." I mumbled under my breath, making a few of the guys chuckle.

"I'm liking this new Bella. Take care of yourself, okay?"

"I will. Thanks again."

They both hung up and Bella returned to my lap. I kissed her deeply and when I pulled away, she was blushing hard. I chuckled and turned back to the table.

"Alright, so we have free rein over the leech so you know what to do if it comes back. Still, be cautious and never approach them by yourself. You know the drill." I reminded them. They all nodded.

"I'll come see Josh with you, Jacob." Sam offered and I nodded. I wasn't looking forward to that conversation.

* * *

**Chris' Point of View**

Carefree, innocent giggles penetrated the room as I played with Alex on the living room floor. I tickled his delicate sides, grinning down at his cute, adorable face. His eyes were wide and bright with excitement and laughter. The vision in front of me was the purest I'd ever seen.

My fear of infants had long since passed me by. Some of my best moments these days is with the little guy below me right now. His arms were flailing above him and his giggles were loud.

When Rach asked me to take care of him today, I'd jumped at the chance. I'd asked if Seth wanted to stay and help out but he said he had somewhere he needed to be. I let it go but I couldn't help but be curious. Paul, Rachel and Seth all seemed to leave together, as if they were going to the same place. It was weird.

Alex and I sat and watched some baby program that he was absolutely captivated with. It was the most monotonous program I'd ever seen but I wasn't about to take the kid's entertainment from him. After a few minutes, I settled him down in one of his baby chairs and let him watch whilst I got his bottle done. He was at that stage where he could feed himself but just needed supervision so I gave the hungry tyke his milk and watched him suckle away, an appetite almost as big as his father's.

Rachel and Paul said that they wouldn't be long, not that I minded but I couldn't help but let my mind wander over to Seth. Over the last few months, he'd been slowly chipping persistently at the granite walls around my heart. He'd been inching his way into the cracks to obtain himself a solid place within.

It was weird, having someone who you truly, deeply cared about. I'd never really had that with anyone, even Molly. With her, I was always cautious about how much of my heart I revealed and shared with her. I knew that she thought I was holding back but I could never help it. With Seth, it was so different. I _trusted_ him, something that was extremely rare with me. I didn't trust easily. Everyone knew that but I'd trusted Seth almost instantly. I had made me uneasy in the beginning but now, I hadn't been more comfortable.

I hadn't wanted to admit the true depth of my feelings towards Seth. I knew deep down that I felt more for him than I ever had for Molly and that scared me so I pushed them down. It was getting to a point where I couldn't fight them anymore. He was constantly there, testing my control and resilience towards him. He was slowly breaking me down and had almost fully succeeded.

I thought back to the very first time I came into any contact with him, remembering that spark that passed between us. I'd known nothing about him whatsoever back then and yet I could already feel a connection with him. What did that even mean?

It was a good couple of hours before the front door opened. Alex was long asleep in his nursery upstairs and I'd been watching some action movie, waiting for his parent sot get home. Rachel's laughter preceded her body through the front door and I hopped up from the sofa, grinning in greeting as she hugged me. she glanced around the room and then at the TV.

"I hope you weren't letting my son watch something so violent." She said, giving me a hard look. I held my hands up.

"I come in peace. No, he's upstairs sleeping. He's been down for about an hour so you may or may not want to get him up. He's been awesome."

"As always for his Uncle Chris. Thanks, it was a really important meeting." Paul informed me, clapping me on the shoulder. I nodded.

"You don't have to thank me. I love spending time with the little guy." I replied, shrugging. He grinned. "Do you, uh, know where Seth is?"

He cocked an eyebrow at me but chuckled, gesturing his head towards the front door again just as Seth's large body vaulted up the porch steps. He grinned at me as he came into the house and something shocked me from within. I smiled back.

"Hey, you been okay?" he asked, pulling me in for a hug. I sighed involuntarily and leaned into him, wrapping my arms around him. I noticed Paul subtly leave the two of us to our privacy and I smiled in thanks as he glanced back. He winked and then wiggled his eyebrows, making me blush and chuckle. Seth pulled back, frowning in confusion. "What's so funny?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing really. What are you doing now?" I asked with my arms still around his waist. He shrugged and turned almost shy.

"Uh, I dunno. I was…kinda hoping you might want to hang out? Here or somewhere else. I don't mind where. I missed you today." He admitted, blushing. I bit my lip and nodded, trying and failing to push down the excited feeling building up inside of me. he beamed as I nodded again, grabbing his hand.

"Hey Paul?" I called through the house.

"Yeah?"

"Seth and I are going to head off." I told him. His reply was in the form of a grunt and I chuckled, shaking my head as I led Seth out the front door, closing it behind him.

We walked for a few minutes, hand in hand down the street. We were silent. We didn't feel the need to fill the silence in with small talk; it was so comfortable between us all the time. We ended up on the beach. It was just after noon and still, the beach wasn't very busy. There were a couple of kids a little way down from us, playing in the waves with a couple watching them from afar. A young couple, about our age was up a ways from us, cuddling as they laid on a blanket.

We found a spot a good distance from both parties and sat in the sand. Seth surprised me hugely and shyly parted my thighs so that he could sit in between them. He glanced back at me shyly, smiling uncertainly but smiled back, wrapping my arms around his waist to pull him closer to me. He sighed in relief and leaned back into me, relaxing fully. I couldn't resist lowering my face to his neck and inhaling. He swallowed hard and rested his hands on my knees, slowly rubbing.

This was the most intimate we'd sat for a good couple of weeks and it felt nice. I found that I missed being with him like this, just holding him. It surprised me that he seemed to always want me to hold him. Seth's a big guy but he fit perfectly in my arms, like he was meant to be there.

"This is nice." He sighed, contently. I nodded into his neck. "We should do this more often."

"What, sitting at the beach or cuddling?" I asked, smirking. He chuckled.

"Fuck, let's do both all the time but mostly cuddle, I think." He replied, grinning. I chuckled.

"I don't mind." I admitted. He turned his head slightly, smiling at me.

"You don't?" he asked, hopefully.

I shook my head, my eyes softening as we held each other's gaze. My eyes flickered down to his lips and subconsciously, his chin tilted upwards, as if asking me to kiss him. I cupped his cheek and his eyes closed. I leaned forward and pressed my lips to his softly, just a little brush. He sighed shakily and pushed up more, pressing his lips to mine harder. I obeyed and kissed him deeper. He moaned and fisted his hand in my shirt. I was sure that he could feel me hardening against his back and I prayed that I had the same effect on him.

He nibbled on my lip and I grinned, sliding my tongue into his mouth and swirling it around. He moaned again and raised his hand to grasp the back of my neck. Slowly turning to face me, he opened his legs and straddled my thighs, never removing his lips from mine. My hands naturally found his hips and his hands framed my face. I had no doubt about what I was doing to him as soon as he settled against me, chest to chest and his hardness nudged mine, making both of us moan.

I pulled him closer, kissed him deeper but suddenly, it just wasn't enough. I pulled away panting, resting my forehead against his with my eyes closed. His hands raked through and caressed my hair and scalp as we both caught our breath back. He chuckled against me suddenly and I opened my eyes, instantly connecting with his. They sparkled into mine and I couldn't help smiling back at him.

"What's so funny?" I asked, smirking. He giggled. He actually giggled and it was so adorable. I smiled wider.

"We just made out like a couple of teenagers on a public beach." He laughed softly and I blushed, finally looking around us. No one was around now and I wondered whether they left because of us. He giggled again and made me look back at him. "It's been a while…like, half an hour."

"You're joking? Really, we've been making out for half an hour?" I asked incredulously. He laughed and nodded. I smirked. "Well, I guess time flies when you're having fun."

"You can have as much fun as you like." He replied and I rolled my eyes.

"That was cheesy." I dead panned. He chuckled.

"It was huh?" he agreed, shrugging.

We were interrupted by the most unlikely source – his stomach. We both looked down at it and as he blushed, I burst out laughing and shook my head. He pushed my chest but I couldn't stop laughing. It felt good. I saw him watching me intently through my tear filled eyes and slowly, my laughter died down until they were mere chuckles and I was able to lock eyes with him properly.

He began to trace my facial features, his eyes following his finger's movement as if trying to commit them to his memory. I watched him watch me and noted the adoration and care in his eyes. His touch was so light and gentle; I'd never been touched like so before and I found I liked it and wanted him to do it more often. My lips parted slightly as his index finger traced my lips and he looked at my eyes again, smiling softly. I cupped his face again and brought him down to me, kissing him softly. He sighed and leaned over me, deepening the kiss.

"I thought you were hungry." I murmured against his lips as I pulled away slightly. He just hummed in reply, his face the epitome of content and happy. I wanted to keep that expression on his face. I smiled. "Hold on."

I didn't give him chance to reply as I hoisted myself and him up from the floor. He gasped and clung to my neck to prevent him falling backwards from me, laughing with me. His legs were tight around my waist and I supported him by his ass. He continued to laugh as I stood straight. I was marginally surprised that I was able to lift him so easily. I knew I could but I expected it to be some sort of struggle. He barely weighed anything to me.

"You didn't give me much warning there." He laughed, poking my shoulder as he looked down at me. I laughed.

"I did. I told you to hold on." I reminded him, seriously. He glared at me.

"A split second before you moved." He retorted, poking me again. Unexpectedly for both of us, I slapped his ass in return and he yelped, biting his lip as his eyes closed. I chuckled at his reaction.

"You liked that, huh?" I asked, smirking devilishly. With his eyes still closed, he blushed deeply and nodded slowly. I chuckled. "I'll remember that."

He moaned breathily and leaned his forehead down to my shoulder. I chuckled and shook my head. I began to slack my hold on him so that he could drop his legs from my waist but they tightened as did his arms around my neck. Obviously he didn't want to be put down and I sighed, shrugging mentally as I made my way in the direction of my house.

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**So there you have it! I hope you enjoyed it!**

**Please review! I need some feedback from more than 3 or 4 of you please! :D**

**Love  
MrsWolfPack  
****x**


	20. Primal

**Hey, hey, my Lovelies!**

**Thanks to those who reviewed! SoundShield11, oh2byoung, Abysslullaby, Stormshower084, heavensentskysky and FallenAngel359! I would appreciate more reviews to be honest. I need more feedback! Thanks!**

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**There's some lemony goodness and a whole lot of fluff :)**

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**Without further ado...Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 19**

**Primal**

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**Chris' Point of View**

It must have looked weird, a large guy being carried by an equally large guy. Said large guy's hands on the other's ass whilst his face buried itself into his neck. Deep down, I wondered why it didn't both me people seeing us, me, like this. I wasn't bothered at all. I also thought that the journey to my house would have been longer, carrying Seth but we reached it in record time. I tried to put him down again but he was having none of it. I chuckled and unlocked my front door, stepping inside.

"You know, if you want me to cook you something, you'll have to go down, right?" I hedged, pulling back so that I could look at him. He sighed and removed his face from my neck, pouting. I chuckled. "It can't be that comfortable up here."

"You'd be surprised." He murmured, nuzzling my cheek. I sighed. "But I'm hungry so I guess I'll go down."

I laughed at the reluctance in his voice before gently putting him back on the floor. Standing so close, I was surprised at our sudden height difference. I was about 6 inches taller than Seth now, despite the fact that he used to tower over me.

"Freaky huh?" he chuckled as if reading my mind. "I kinda like you being taller though. Is that weird?"

I shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe, maybe not." I replied, unsure. I inclined my head towards the kitchen. "Come on, let's go eat. What do you want?"

"Whatever you want." Was his reply. I shrugged and pulled everything out the fridge for Spaghetti Bolognese. He watched me as I cooked the sauce, making it from scratch. Eventually, I put him to work at kneading the dough for the garlic bread. All he could talk about was how he loved homemade garlic bread and that Sue never makes it anymore because all the guys come around for dinner all the time now.

"I'll make you all the garlic bread you want, Seth. Stop moaning." I chuckled, smiling behind me at him. He grinned widely and nodded, kneading the dough with more vigour.

I put him in charge of stirring the sauce whilst I prepared the dough for baking. Once that was done, I put the spaghetti to boil, thankful that it was almost done because I was starving. I set everything out on the island counters, not bothering with the massive table as there was only two of us. When I asked what Seth wanted to drink, he said beer. I cocked an eyebrow at him.

"What?" he asked, defensively.

"Sue would kill me if she found out I gave you beer." I pointed out. He knew I was right. He shrugged.

"So then she won't find out. Come on, you're drinking it." He whined, pouting.

"My house. Plus, Sue's not my mother so…yeah. No beer for you." I commanded, pulling out a soda for him. He whined.

"She won't know. If it makes you feel any better, I could stay here or something…maybe…if you wanted me to." His voice trailed off uncertainly as he turned and concentrated on stirring the sauce. I looked at his back for a second, noting the hopefulness and excitement in his voice as well. It was very obvious that he _wanted_ to stay. Why shouldn't I let him?

I left the island counters for a second and moved over behind him. He stiffened slightly as my arms wrapped around his waist and then he sighed and leaned back against me. With my lips against his ear, I whispered, "If you want to stay, go ahead. I don't mind. But call your mom to say where you'll be, okay?"

He swallowed hard and smiled to himself before nodding and turning to face me slightly. I leaned in and kissed him softly before letting him go and returning to my previous job. I still didn't give him a beer though.

The conversation during dinner was light and playful, something I wasn't used to. Seth couldn't stop complimenting me for my cooking, saying it was better than his mom's. He warned me not to tell her he had said that and all I could do was smirk. After dinner, he helped me wash up our dishes, drying whatever I passed to him. We were silent during that job, not wishing to break the comfortable silence. Again, I liked it and wanted more of it.

"Thanks for dinner; it was amazing." He complimented for the umpteenth time. I smiled and nodded. "Where did you learn to cook like that?"

"Oh, uh…just Kenna, really. She was an amazing cook. Probably still is. I used to stay in a lot when I first lived with them because I wasn't very, uh, sociable back then. She taught me." I explained, smiling at him.

"Sounds like an amazing woman." He said, slowly. I nodded.

"She is. The whole family is amazing. They kinda of changed my opinions of foster families, you know. They made me see that not all of them were evil and sadistic." I murmured. He peered over at me.

"The others were?" he asked, worriedly. I sighed.

"I, uh, don't really want to talk about it but…maybe soon." I told him, giving him a small smile. He smiled back and nodded, satisfied with my answer.

"So what do you want to do now?" he asked, drying the last plate and putting it where it needed to be.

"We could watch a movie. I have plenty." I suggested. He smiled and nodded, moving towards the fridge. I cocked an eyebrow at him again as he pulled out two beers. He just smiled cheekily, popping the tabs off both and taking a sip. I laughed and rolled my eyes, shaking my head. "You're explaining to Sue if she caches it on your breath- Oh wait, you sneaky fucker, you're staying."

"Yep and she'll never know. I'll let you choose the movie." He offered.

"Oh, cheers for the permission to choose from my own DVD collection. You're so generous." I teased, grinning. He giggled and shoved me gently towards the living room. I followed his silent orders and left to the living room. I was in a horror mood and scanned my many horror movies. I decided on The Devil Inside (**AN – watch the trailer! It's fucking amazing!**).

Seth came in with the drinks and a bowl of popcorn, though I had no idea where he got it from. He plonked down onto the sofa, grinning at me as I turned off the lights and took a seat next to him. He scooted closer, smiling shyly and I chuckled, opening my arm for him to burrow into my side. He grinned and did just that, laying his head on my chest. In a split second decision, I thought that I'd lie down a little since the way he was sat couldn't have been very comfortable. He frowned in confusion as I moved but then smiled and cuddled back up to me, trapped between the back of the sofa and my warm body.

I felt him stiffen as soon as the title screen for the movie came on. I glanced down at him and noted that his eyes were wide. He swallowed hard before looking up at me, slightly scared.

"What?" I asked, amused.

"What are we watching?" he asked, biting his lip.

"The Devil Inside. I figured I was in a horror movie mood. Do you mind?" I asked, unsure. He hesitated. "We could choose something else…"

"No, no it's okay…Um, I just don't like horror movies. They're scary, obviously." He chuckled, nervously. I smirked.

"Aw, don't worry. You can hide behind me if you want." I teased. He scowled at me and rolled his eyes.

"I'm sure I'll be fine." He replied mutinously.

He wasn't.

I'd never seen someone react so strongly to horror movies before and I couldn't help but chuckle at every whimper and light scream that escaped his throat throughout the movie. He'd burrowed deeper and deeper into me, his body actually hid behind mine as he watched the TV over my shoulder. He was actually trembling only halfway through and I'd offered to turn it off many times throughout but he refused. I knew he was trying to be brave for me but his reactions were making him fail miserably. I thought it was cute.

He was quiet as the movie ended. His eyes were side and his heart was still hammering. I could feel it against my back. Leaving the credits rolling but muting the TV, I turned on the couch to face him, both of us laying down properly now. His eyes shifted to mine and I smiled. He smiled back softly.

"You okay?" I asked. He nodded, swallowing hard. "I'm sorry, I should have turned it off."

"No, it's was okay, I guess…at some places. I'll be fine." He assured me, rushed. I nodded doubtful.

"You want me to make it all better?" I asked, slyly. He didn't pick on my tone as he frowned, confused.

"How?"

I smiled and captured his lips with mine. He made a noise of surprise before moaning, pressing closer to me as his eyes closed. I wrapped my arms around him as I shifted the both of us so that he was laid on top of me. He shifted again so that he was straddling my hips and I could feel his excitement against me again. He pushed his hips down, making the both of us moan as our members pressed together through our jeans, causing the most amazing friction. He did it again and again until we were both panting and kissing each other deeply, hotly.

"You feel so good." he moaned against me, pulling at the bottom of my shirt.

My arms lifted on their own accord and he hastily pulled my shirt from me before I could change my mind. I shivered as his warm hands ghosted across my bare torso, caressing and pressing in all the right places. His fingers tickled my sides gently and I chuckled, squirming. He grinned and looked down at his hands. He was no tracing my tattoo as if it was something to be revered. I watched him watch me in rapt attention, smiling every time my stomach muscles twitched as his fingers glided across them.

"Did I ever tell you how sexy I think this is?" he asked, thoughtfully. I smirked but shook my head. He hadn't said. He groaned. "Well it fucking is…I just wanna…_lick_ it, all over."

"Fuck Seth…This, off." I demanded, pulling at his own shirt. He complied immediately and I ran my hands up my russet skin, making him shiver just like had me. a thought struck me. "You know, you'd look pretty sexy with a tattoo like mine."

He scoffed. "Yeah, right. I don't have that bad boy persona to go with it. I wouldn't pull it off." He chuckled. I smirked.

"I could totally convert you." I teased, smirking up at him. He giggled.

"Oh Chris…you don't need to convert me. I'm already one hundred per cent devoted to you." He sighed, longingly as he laid his cheek against my chest. I knew that my heart had picked up at his words and also that he could hear it within my chest. A small smile graced his lips and he'd never looked so…beautiful.

I smiled back gently and leaned down, watching his face as I flicked my tongue against his nipple. He gasped and arched into me, biting his lip. His reaction was addictive and I did it again, closing my mouth around the delicious peak and sucking gently. He moaned deeply and clenched my hair between his fingers, keeping me fixed to his chest. His eyes were closed and the expression of pure bliss was fixed on his face. He looked so beautiful.

"Oh fuck...that feels so g-good." his breath hitched as I nibbled his nipple, enticing another moan from his throat.

I grinned against his skin and switched to his left nipple, showing it the same amount of attention as his right. By the time I was satisfied, he was panting heavily, a coat of sweat was coating his brow and I could feel that he was so hard that he could hammer nails. Hmm...Seemed Seth loved nipple play. I'd have to remember that.

I left his nipple and began to planted wet, open mouthed kisses across his chest. He was so warm against me and his skin felt like silk against my tongue. Seth was past coherent speech as he encouraged me with low grunts and moans. I traced my tongue around his abdomen muscles, all six of them. They were hard yet smooth against my tongue as I sucked on them. I could feel his hands on my head pushing subtly from above to go lower.

I enclosed my mouth around his belly button and sucked hard, causing him to buck his hips into me and groan. I grinned against him again and chuckled.

"You like that, Seth?" I murmured, huskily. He whimpered and I saw him nod his head. I chuckled again and flicked my tongue against him, causing him to giggle. I peered up at him, seeing his wide grin.

"That tickled." he said, still giggling. I laughed and did it again. His giggles increased and he tried to push my head away. "Stop, that tickles."

"You're so cute." I breathed, nuzzling my nose against his lower stomach. He moaned and then peered down at me, smirking.

"Not my habit then?" he teased. I chuckled.

"No, I was definitely regarding you this time." I assured him. He beamed and he was obviously pleased by my answer.

I smirked up at him and without much thought, unbuttoned his cut off shorts. Seth froze beneath me and I glanced up at his surprised face. I frowned in confusion as to why he reacted like that. I opened my mouth o say what was wrong but he just shook his head, smiling down at me reassuringly. My confusion was somewhat swept away by his smile and I grinned back, sliding down the zipper. He moaned in anticipation and I chuckled.

"Just so you know...I've never done this before." I warned him. I couldn't even believe I was about to do this but I found that I was curious and wanted to give Seth what he'd given me. He peered down at me before cupping my cheek with his soft hand.

"You don't have to Chris...I'm not expecting anything from you just because I did it." he murmured, considerately. I smiled and leaned into his hand slightly before redirecting my attention back to his crotch. He took a deep breath and moved his hand back to my hair.

It was clear from the sight of Seth's pubic hair through the v of his Jean zipper that he was going commando and something in me loved that. It was one less layer to peel off in the end. I smirked up at him before grasping the sides of his jeans, pulling them down slowly. His breath hitched and I chuckled, watching as his crotch was slowly revealed to me. I had to bite my lip to keep me from moaning as his cock was exposed.

Just like the rest of his body, Seth was well endowed. Perfectly proportional. Whereas I was a lot more thicker, Seth was longer than me but not by much. It was slightly darker than the rest of his body and the head was red. Seth growled below me and I looked up at him swiftly, seeing his eyes riveted on my lips. Then I realised that I had been licking them insistently as I was devouring his crotch with my eyes.

"Fuck you're so sexy." he moaned, stroking my torso with his open palms. I grinned down at him.

"You're beautiful." I countered, leaning over him to press a soft kiss to his lips. He moaned and clutched me to him, deepening the kiss. I plundered his mouth with my tongue and he groaned, allowing me to swirl mine with his.

My hand slowly trailed down his abdomen, tracing his muscles again. His breathing hitched drastically as he realised what I was about to do and I smirked against his lips. The head of his cock nudged the back of my hand. Fuck, it was so hot. Experimentally, I left one finger circle his head, making him buck into me incessantly. I chuckled.

"A little eager there, huh Seth?" I teased and he growled. I growled back and nipped his bottom lip. He whimpered and licked mine in apology. The action was so primal that it sent shivers through me.

My lips trailed across his cheek, nibbling at his jaw before licking a wet line down his neck towards his collarbone. He moaned loudly and tilted his head back to give me full exposure to his neck. I growled at the action, finding something deep within me loved it. I plastered his throat in a mirage of kisses, sucking and licking his soft skin as the back of my knuckles stroked up and down the underneath of his shaft. Seth sighed and whimpered below me, making my entire body tingle with power and pride.

I was enticing those noises from him. Me.

My mouth enclosed around one of the tendons in his throat and instinctively, my teeth clamped down on it, making the large, hot body beneath me stiffen and then become lax. His hands fell from my hair and back to the mattress at his sides and his breathing mellowed out. Curiously, my eyes flickered to his face, my mouth still around his tendon. His eyes were fluttering closed as if he was about to go to sleep and my mouth was slack, though I could see a small smile teasing the corners.

His reaction both baffled and excited me. I've never known anyone to react like Seth just did and I found that I loved that more than any reaction he's ever given me before. It may sound sick and twisted but I loved the submission he just showed me. The trust was overwhelming also.

I let go of his tendon and he sighed deeply, swallowing hard. Otherwise he didn't move as my lips lowered down the column of his throat. I let my tongue swirl around both his nipples once, making him moan before I continued on my way down his body. I counted his six pack with kiss before licking down the middle, swirling my tongue around and inside his belly button.

If it were possible, his cock harden and lengthened even more in my hand. His hips were gently bucking into my closed fist as I rhythmically squeezed his shaft. I could feel wetness trickling from his head and glanced down curiously. White, creamy substance oozed from his head and I licked my lips, wanting nothing more than to see what it tasted like.

"Oh God, Chris...Please, Baby, please...stop teasing. DO something, please?" Seth panted, begging above me. I glanced up at him; he was looking down at me with pitch black eyes filled with lust and desire. His chest heaved with his laboured breaths and he's never looked so beautiful. I wanted to give him what he wants so I looked back at his hard member.

Seth's pleas became low and incoherent above me as I settled my mouth above the head of his shaft. With my gaze connected with his, my tongue slowly snaked out to taste that warm, creamy liquid at the tip. Seth gasped and threw his head back, moaning loudly as his hips tried to buck into me for more friction. I threw one of my arms across his hips, bolting them to the bed beneath him. He whimpered as my tongue flicked again.

"Shit, you taste good." I mumbled, surprised by the revelation. He was slightly bitter but had a somewhat sweetness to him as well. The taste was delicious and I wanted more of him.

Without a second thought about what I was doing, my lips enclosed around his head as my tongue continued to lap at the slit at the very end. I sucked gently, revelling in the noises that Seth was making, whether he was aware of it or not. I wanted to hear more of them and let my tongue slither down the underside of his cock whilst my mouth widened. Like my own, Seth's cock was silky and velvety despite it's steel hardness. I guessed that it was a trait that all cocks had. The skin moved easily with my lips as I bobbed my head once then twice.

Seth was mumbling and whimpering above me. I couldn't quite catch what he was saying but I was sure that it went along the lines of 'oh fuck, oh shit, so good, oh shit, *moan*, oh _fuck_' over and over again. I smiled the best I could around his cock and took him in further. I forced my throat to relax as his head slid closer. As it hit the back of my throat, I gagged slightly but righted myself, letting it slide down my throat slightly.

I swallowed and Seth cried out loudly, his hands clasping onto my head instantly whilst he twisted and fisted my hair. It didn't hurt as much as I thought it did and took him in deeper.

"OH _fuck_! That's it...swallow that dick, Baby. So GOOD!" he bellowed to the ceiling and pride bubbled up to the surface again. Though, surprise was also right behind it. I'd never realised that Seth would have such a dirty mouth but fuck, did I love it. I chuckled around his cock at my thoughts and he moaned. "Holy shit, Chris, I'm not gonna last...I'm so c-close."

His voice hitched and ended on a keen as I slid his head from my throat, my lips constricting around his shaft, tighter and tighter until I was sucking as hard as I could around his head. His undoing came when I let my teeth nibble at his head. He gasped shrilly and groaned as warm, creamy liquid began to spurt from his head and into my mouth. I swallowed as fast as he released, unable to get enough of his sweet, yet bitter taste.

My hand massaged the last of his release from his shaft whilst I licked him clean. He panted and moaned above me, coming down from his high. His hands massaged my head and mine stroked up and down his muscular torso, my palms open wide. He would twitch every time I sucked his sensitive head or my palms would brush across his nipples. He truly was extremely sensitive around those.

My lips idly trailed back up his heaving torso. I placed a chaste, soft kiss on each of his nipples, though he still gave a small jolt at the sensation, before I hovered over his face. His eyes were closed and a small smile played at his lips. I couldn't resist leaning down to capture them with my own and he moaned, kissing me back with as much passion as I was showing him.

His limp arms finally lifted from the mattress to wrap around my waist. He pulled me down so my body was tightly pressed against his and he whimpered again as my chest brushed against his nipples. We laid like that for a few minutes. I stroked his sides and he swept his hands up and down my back. I'd never felt calmer than I did right now.

I smiled at the thought of actually bringing someone pleasure instead of pain like I'd been doing my entire life before now. The fact that it was Seth was beyond pleasing for me and I burrowed my face into his neck. I'd finally done something I could be proud of in life. I'd never felt like this before but I knew for damn sure that I was going to make sure I felt it many, many times more in the future.

We laid there, just breathing and being for so long that the sun set and darkness began to leak into the sky. Neither of us spoke in the darkening room. Seth was curled back into me, my chest [pressed tightly to his back as my arms held him tightly. I never even thought about what it would be like to spoon with someone but I liked it...a lot.

As I buried my face into Seth's neck, I couldn't help but think that I could easily get used to this. I'd never felt as I was feeling right now. It felt right to be here with him and there wasn't any place I'd rather be. The thought shocked me and yet, it didn't. I'd decided long ago that Seth was someone I wouldn't mind sharing this with.

We were both awake, just enjoying our silent cuddling. Seth would caress my arm occasionally or kiss the hand that was curled under and across his shoulders. I couldn't help but inhale his amazing scent, something that was becoming more potent as the days passed.

I'd noticed changes in my body ever since coming here to La Push. It was weird but I guess not unwelcome. My 5'10 height had shot up to almost 6'7, an anomaly within itself but then, my body had buffed up as well. I was a muscular guy before coming here but now, I was beginning to resemble Jacob and all of his friends. It was weird. My appetite has grown exceptionally. I never used to be a big eater but now I was hardly never hungry.

I noticed that every time I brushed passed someone at the store or something, they would look back at me worriedly, like they'd felt something abnormal and I guess that they had. It hadn't escaped my attention that Seth wasn't nearly as hot to me anymore, like we were beginning to become the same temperature. I didn't know how to explain that at all. Even now though, Seth was burrowed into me like _I_ was the warm one and he was trying to get closer to my heat.

My anger and irritation had been another anomaly. Sure, I had always been an angry guy and since coming here, it had died down a little but recently, well no, in the last four months or so, my temper had been easier to build up and spark than ever before. Small things irritated me. I was surprised that I could tolerate Embry for very long.

Embry. In the forefront of my mind, I couldn't stop thinking about the father that we shared and what he had done. I guess Josh's past actions had nothing to do with Embry, or even Sam maybe but I hated them both by association and the fact that they had a relationship with Josh that I couldn't understand. They were abandoned by him too right? So how could they forgive him so easily?

Unlike Sam, Embry had actually started to make an effort to try and bridge the massive ocean between the two of us. I was very reluctant in the beginning, unable to let go of my irrational hatred towards him but slowly, he'd broken me down and now I could somewhat tolerate him when we were working on the Quad. Don't get me wrong, I couldn't be able to handle him in large doses but in the small ones I have been exposed to, it wasn't so bad and I was finding that Embry Call wasn't as bad as I thought.

"Hey, where'd you go?" Seth murmured in my ear. His low voice startled me to my thoughts and my eyes refocused. I hadn't even felt him shift so that he was facing me but he was. He was watching me intently, seeing the numerous expressions pass across my face as he traced them.

I smiled softly and leaned forward a fraction to brush my lips across his. He sighed shakily and his eyes fluttered. I smiled in response to the slow smile creeping across his face. "Sorry, I was miles away." I replied, chuckling. He joined in softly.

"Yeah, I noticed. What were you thinking about?" he asked, curiously.

"Nothing much, really. Just..._this_ and my somewhat civil truce with Embry." I replied. He nodded.

"I'm glad you're letting him in slowly. He truly feels guilty for his part in all of this with Josh." he said. I didn't reply. "But let's not talk about him, hmm?"

"Let's not. I'd hate to get pissed at you." I told him, smirking. He chuckled. "There was...something else that had be curious though..."  
His eyes met mine in question and waited for me to elaborate but I didn't. "What's that?" he asked, interestedly. I sighed.

"You know earlier...when I bit your neck..." I trailed off as the recognition passed over his face and his eyes darkened slightly. His breathing hitched as if he was turned on by the very memory, which by the way, was very much the case as I felt his appendage harden against my thigh. I was baffled by his reaction to the memory. I was so intrigued.

"Wh-what about it?" he stuttered, biting his lip. I questioned him silently with my eyes but answered him.

"Why did you react like you did? I mean, I've never seen it before and you just went...lax, like you were boneless. Don't get me wrong, it _liked_ it but I was just curious." I admitted. He swallowed hard.

"I guess...I have a thing about my neck...and it being bitten." he murmured, lowly. I could sense a hint to secrecy to his answer but I left it alone, figuring he just didn't want to answer me fully just yet. Instead, I smirked and pulled him closer.

"Okay...so if I bit you right now, you'd react the same way?" I asked, curiously. He moaned and shrugged, though his head moved to the side as if inviting me to do it again to him.

Something built up inside of me until it was impossible to utilise his exposed neck. My face leaned down and I nipped his Adam's apple, pasting kisses to that same tendon. I almost growled at the sight of two crescent rows of teeth reddening against his skin from earlier. I didn't even realise I bit him that hard. I could hear his soft, low moans in the back of his throat as I continued to kiss him all over his neck. He was completely relaxed under me, trusting me.

My mouth gravitated towards his tendon again and my mouth opened. His breathing hitched in anticipation and I smirked, enclosing my teeth around the skin. I didn't bite though and he whimpered, desperately. Watching his face, I allowed my teeth to slowly tighten around the connective tissue in my mouth. A slow whine built in his chest as his eyes lazily rolled back in his head. His head fell sloppily, idly to the side and his hands, which were clenching the sheets below him, went slack just as before. Without thinking, I growled into his skin and he moaned deeply, biting his lip hard.

Slowly, I released him from my bindings, watching as he collected his bearings and tardily moved his gaze towards mine. I could feel a satisfied smirk on my face and Seth blushed below me, smiling shyly. "Oh yeah...I love that." I chuckled, deeply. He bit his lip and blushed hard. I leaned forward and pecked his lips before turning him to his other side to pull his back back into my chest. He squeaked with the sudden movements and I chuckled again, kissing the side of his neck.

We were silent again as we snuggled. He tried to burrow further into me but it was just impossible. He was already as close as he was going to get right now. His legs intertwined with mine. We looked like a human pretzel. My eyes were becoming drowsy and I could feel them fluttering closed in the silence of the room. Seth's heart beat right next to mine and his breathing provided quite a calm, soothing rhythm to fall asleep to. I was at that very edge of unconsciousness when Seth's voice, though low as it was, penetrated the soothing silence of the room.

"What are we, Chris?" he asked.

My eyes slowly slid open at the disturbance and it took me a second to actually process what he was asking me. I opened my mouth to reply when his nervous babble cut me off before I could even begin.

"I mean, what are we doing? Are we friends with benefits or I dunno...experiments to each other or...what?" he spluttered, rushed. I frowned to myself and slowly pulled back from him so that I could lower him to his back. I needed to see him. He misinterpreted my actions though and probably thought that I was pulling away from him. I could feel his panic. "No, where you going?I'm sorry; I shouldn't have said anything. Don't go, please?"

"Easy, Seth, I'm not going anywhere. Take a deep breath." I whispered in his ear, gently pulling on his shoulder. He followed my movements and moved to his back, though he didn't meet my gaze. I thought over his previous words and frowned. "Why do you want to put a label on us?"

He glanced at me shyly. "I, uh...just wanted to know..." he mumbled, crestfallen. I frowned deeper. "Please, forget I asked, okay?"

"Hey, I'm not going to brush your question off. I was just curious." I told him. He bit his lip.

"Well...I-I don't know about you but...I kinda felt like _this between us_, whatever it is, meant something. I mean, I know it does to me." he rambled. I stared down at his beautiful face and thought about how I enjoyed seeing it every day. I enjoyed seeing the many emotions, mostly happy ones, cross it every single minute. I enjoyed his innocence and how, no matter what, he always seemed to see me other than the monster I see myself as.

Seth was one of a kind. I'd never met someone with such a pure heart before, someone who could see deep into someone's soul and just _know_ them. I couldn't deny that he knew me, maybe not my past but he certainly knew my personality and my basics of my actions. He seemed to know what drove me to do what I do without needing an explanation and he stood by me on whatever that was, despite the unknown.

I began to think about what it would be like if I had never met him...and my heart gave a painful twinge. I hid the wince from Seth and continued to watch him. So no, I couldn't imagine it. He'd become such a solid within my life that I couldn't imagine a life without him, in whatever capacity he may take on within it.

But I wanted him there...In my life.

"Seth...I don't know what this is, to be honest." I admitted and I saw his face fall drastically. He made to get up from beneath me but I pushed him back down with ease. He swallowed hard and looked away from me. "Let me finish...I don't know what this is. I've never felt this way before, especially with a guy...not that that's a problem or anything. You'd have found out if it was from the very beginning. I probably would have hit you or something-

"What I'm trying to say is...I don't know what I'm feeling, I'm not the best at expressing myself but I'm trying for you because...I like this, whatever it is, between us. I can't put a label on us yet because I don't know myself what this is but...I wouldn't mind, if you didn't, seeing where it would take us, whether that be to friendship or..."

"Something else." Seth whispered softly, finally lifting his gaze to mine. His eyes were shining and I knew that he was at peace with the speech I just gave, as nervous and babbled as it was. He smiled softly and I returned it, stroking his cheek. "So you...just want to go with the flow then? Let the chips fall where they may?"

"Yeah." I murmured. He smiled wider and nodded before pulling me down for a gentle kiss.

It was in that moment that I realised that this could go somewhere I'd never been before with anyone, not even with Molly. If I allowed myself...I knew that I could fall in love with him...if I wasn't already falling...

And that scared the shit out of me.

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	21. Trigger

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**Without further ado...Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 20**

**Trigger**

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**Chris' Point of View**

"Hey, so erm...Diane wanted me to invite you over for dinner tonight." Embry mentioned after a long bout of silence in the garage after school. Some of the guys were working quietly around us as we worked on the Quad again. It wasn't very busy today so Jake said we could.

Seth was nearby, working on Bella's truck since Jake was too busy with paper work to get it done. My head lifted from what I was doing as Embry spoke and I watched him speculatively. He didn't meet my gaze, something that had become increasingly easier for us in the last few days, so I knew something about is statement didn't quite sit well with him. I shrugged nonchalantly when he glanced at me and looked back down at the quad.

"Did she now?" was all I could reply with. I couldn't figure out whether he wanted me to be there or not. Shit, did _I_ even want to go? Embry cleared his throat.

"Yeah, she wanted to, uh, get to know my brother." he replied, nervously. The word 'brother' still sat uneasy with me but I didn't call him out on the usage.

"I'm sure she knows Sam well enough." I replied; I couldn't resist. Out the corner of my eye, I saw Embry's shoulders sag slightly and instantly felt like shit for my comment. We may still have some issues between us but we had gotten closer in the last couple of days what with the shop having next to no business coming in. I could see that the 'brother' comments got to him whenever they were made.

I sighed and straightened. His back was to me now. "When was she thinking?" I asked, reluctantly. Embry's head whipped around so fast I thought he might have snapped it. His grin was hesitant and I could see the hope in his eyes.

"Erm, tomorrow night, if you could make it. About half six." he informed me, nervously. I shrugged.

"Who'll be there?" I asked, looking down at the quad again. I knew that I'd have to decline if anyone from _his_ immediate family was going to be there, aka Sam or Josh.

"Oh, just me, Di and Hector, of course. You could, erm, bring Seth too, if you feel you'll be more comfortable." he offered, glancing behind me. I knew he was looking over at us, well, me. I could feel his eyes on the back of my head. It was funny how I was so much more aware of him now, after that night we decided to see where 'us' would go.

"I dunno...he might have plans." I hedged. I felt Seth come closer and he wound an arm around my waist, kissing my shoulder. I almost blushed at the PDA we were showing the guys but I just thought 'screw 'em' and wrapped my arms around his waist in return. He beamed at me before looking at Em.

"No plans for me. They would have probably been with you anyway. I wouldn't mind going." Seth said, glancing between us. I could see the encouragement in his eyes and I sighed. Embry still had that air of nervous hope about him as I looked at him.

"I, uh, guess we could make it. Six thirty, you said?" I double checked. Embry beamed larger than I thought possible and nodded excitedly. I nodded. "Okay."

"Yeah?" he asked, grinning. I nodded. "Awesome, I'll just go phone Di and tell her so she can get anything she needs."

I nodded and watched as he rushed off, grin still in place. Seth chuckled beside me and my gaze moved to him. He smiled at me, _up_ at me slightly, looking proud. "I'm glad you accepted. This could be good for the both of you." he said. I nodded with a half shrug.

"Yeah, s'pose. To be honest, I probably wouldn't have gone if you weren't coming." I admitted. He chuckled.

"Well then it's a good job I am then, huh?" he replied, leaning up to peck my cheek.

I nodded and caught his cheek as he turned away from me. I pulled him until I could plant a soft, chaste kiss on his lips. He seemed surprised, though pleasantly so, after I pulled away. I smiled slightly and he beamed, moving away to Bella's truck again with a spring in his step. I glanced around the shop and caught Paul's eye. He winked at me and then I was unable to stop the blush. He chuckled silently and I threw him the bird, which he returned with much affection.

Embry returned and we continued to work through break, talking about shit and absolutely nothing of importance. He threw in a few details about tomorrow night he'd discussed with Diane briefly as well as some of the things Hector had been up to. I had to admit that the tyke was a handful and he couldn't even crawl yet. I could tell as he spoke that Embry was highly proud of his son. I couldn't help but wonder whether Josh would have ever felt that way towards me, had things turned out differently. I shook the thoughts away as they were dangerous. My temper was hanging on by a thread these days and thoughts of _him_ were only going to set me off.

When it was just about time to shut up shop and head home, Seth approached me and wrapped his arms tentatively around my waist from behind, as if I would snap his head off or something. He's become extra cautious around me and I vaguely wondered why. Did he think I would change my mind about us or was it something else entirely? I turned in his arms and wrapped my own around his shoulders. He peered up at me with a soft smile and I couldn't help but lean down and peck him softly. Sure, I was conscious of some of the other guys who were still here looking over but I couldn't find it within me to care right now. Everything seemed to o to a back burner when Seth was in my vicinity.

"You hungry? I could cook us something up at mine if you want, maybe have a few beers and watch the game highlights?" I suggested, despite the fact that I absolutely hated football. Blasphemous for a hot blooded, all American male but what could you do?

Seth grinned and nodded. "Yeah, that sounds great." he agreed before taking my hand and leading me towards the Quad. We rode it here, with him behind me and his arms wrapped tightly around my waist. I climbed on first, settling myself before watching behind me as Seth straddled the bike. We both grinned as he wrapped his arms around me again and pressed himself close to me. I could feel his breath on my ear and shivered. "Let's get outta here."

I bit my lip and smiled before looking over at the guys. They all had smirks on their faces and I tried my best not to blush. Jacob waved as did some others as I sped out the lot, heading towards home.

The next night after work, I found myself in Embry's truck on our way to his house. Seth sat beside me, holding my hand in support and I could feel the happy vibe coming off Embry in waves. It was obvious to the both of us that he was thrilled I was coming over. I guess it was a really big step in the right direction. He probably thought he was actually getting somewhere.

Embry's modest two storey house came into view and I noted the few kids toys on the front lawn. Their front door way open and I could almost smell the sweet aromas drifting out of it. Seth shot me an encouraging smile as Embry hopped out the truck and rushed towards the house. He looked like a man on a mission and looked at Seth in question. He chuckled and shook his head slightly, inclining in towards the front door. I hesitated when we came up to it but he just walked right on through.

"Chris, get in here and meet my family, Dude." Embry's voice called out and I sighed heavily, finally walking over the threshold.

Just like the lawn, toys were scattered throughout the house as well. It was by no means untidy. On the contrary, I could smell the cleaning products Diane had probably used earlier in the day and the shelves and such looked very organised. I vaguely wondered whether she was OCD or something. Either way, she seemed to like earth tones and wood floors. I spotted a white carpet and wondered how they kept it clean with a baby in the house.

"Em and Di aren't ones for extravagance. Come on, they're in here." Seth prompted, grabbing my hand with a soft pull. I swallowed hard and nodded, letting him lead me towards Embry's family.

The first person I saw was the man himself, his arms wrapped around a dainty black haired woman who reminded me of Emily, from the little I saw of her around the Reservation. Diane was rather beautiful, just like every other female in this tribe and it was obvious by Em's face that eh was mightily proud of the woman in his arms. Movements from her arms caught my attention and I was presented with Hector, who was looking at me curiously. I guess he would have already met Seth so him being here wasn't so intriguing but he;d never met me, not really. He'd seen me in passing but that was the extent of it.

When he saw that I was watching him, he turned his head into his mother's chest and hid behind her hair. His parents chuckled fondly of the little boy and Diane stepped forward, holding out a hand to me.

"I'm Diane Call, Embry's wife. It's a pleasure to meet Embry's little brother."she greeted with a large, welcoming smile. I sensed the two older males tense either side of us but I brushed off her words.

"Pleasure's all mine, Diane. Embry's said a lot about you." I replied, shaking her hand. She chuckled.

"Oh God...If he annoys you, just tell him to shut the hell up." she advised me and I smiled, nodding once. "Dinner should be ready in about thirty minutes. Why don't you guys go into the living room and I'll get you two some beers."

"Hey, what about me?" Seth protested, pouting. Damn, he;s cute. Embry and I chuckled and I shook my head. Di cocked an eyebrow at him.

"Chris may let you drink beer at his house but I am not risking the wrath of your mother. It seems I'm not as fearless as your boy." she teased, winking at me. I blushed at the endearment but found I liked it. "So you'll be getting a soda and you'll make do."

"But Chris' under-age." Seth protested, throwing me under the bus. I rolled my eyes and pulled him into an affectionate headlock.

"Yes, technically but the difference between us is, _I_ am in charge of _myself_." I reminded him with a smug grin. He frowned and then pouted, huffing dramatically. I pecked his cheek. "I'll let you have a beer later when we get home."

His frowned flipped instantly and he kissed me quickly in thanks before heading off towards what I assumed was the living room. Embry followed after him, chuckling at the both of us and I followed suit. We chatted and watched whatever the hell was on the TV. It was one of Hector's programs but he seemed absolutely riveted in the weird little blue man who seemed to be obsessively dependant on the freaky red blanket. I wondered if this was what I had to look forward to with Alex and cringed if that was the case. Embry caught my expression and laughed.

"Annoying, huh? It's all he ever watches when Di or I aren't watching anything. He's obsessed." he informed me, smiling fondly at his son.

Hector sudden;y pointed at the TV, giggling incessantly. "Makka makka makka makka!" he squealed, bouncing on the spot. I cocked an eyebrow at Embry in question.

"Makka Pakka. Favourite character. Wait until the Tombliboos come on, you'll be regretting accepting this invite." he laughed, shaking his head in disdain at these said 'tombliboos'.

It was only three minutes later I instantly figured out what he meant. The three little pudgy things were like daggers to my ears but Hector was giggling just as much at them as he was at Makka Pakka. What the fuck? Who comes up with these programs? Thankfully, Diane chose that moment to announce that dinner was ready and I couldn't get up fast enough. Both Embry and Seth laughed at me but followed just as eagerly with Hector.

The atmosphere at the dinner table was relaxed and pleasant. It had to be the most enjoyable dinner I'd ever had that wasn't with Paul or Rachel. The fact that it was in the presence of one of my 'brothers' made it all the more bizarre and a damn right accomplishment. Diane made a delicious lasagne with home-made garlic bread and salad and she made a ton of it. Embry ate as much as all the other guys seemed to eat. Fuck, what did they do when they all got together, rob a grocery store for one sitting?

It was only after the main course that I realised I'd eaten just as much as the other two, if not more. It was also something that they had noticed and exchanged a wary glance over but I paid them no mind.

Then Di brought out the most delicious smelling dessert I'd ever scented. I hadn't had fruit loaf with whipped cream since my Grandmother had been alive and I swallowed hard against the memories. Seth glanced at me frowning but I just smiled and shook my head dismissively.

A few large bites into the delicious dessert, I knew something was wrong. I swallowed, hoping the weird sensation enveloping my throat would wash away but it remained and I frowned. Tentatively, I took another bite but suddenly, I was unable to swallow it. I coughed a time or two, trying to dislodge the lumpy feeling in my throat but nothing I did would alter the fact that something was wrong. I frowned deeper and peered down at the dessert, confused.

**Seth's Point of View**

I was talking to Em about some of the work that was coming in next week at the garage when Di's slightly panicked, concerned voice asked, "Chris, Sweetie, is something wrong?"

I frowned and spun my head towards Chris at my side. Even at a first glance, something was obviously wrong and my heart began to hammer as I stressed over what. Chris coughed a few times, his face and throat reddening slightly and each one sounded more strangled than the one previous. Panic coursed through me at my mate's obvious distress and I spun to face him completely, my hands flitting over his body for injuries.

"Chris? Chris, what's wrong?" I asked, frantically.

I watched as something passed over Chris' face and his eyes widened. He quickly picked up is spoon and began to smash hos fruit loaf into bits, like he was looking for something. I frowned, watching him and my heart plummeted to my feet when I saw and realised what the problem was. Chris saw at the same time and he shot to his feet, rushing over to the kitchen sink whilst attempting to make himself sick. At this point, Di was absolutely frantic with worry and Embry was frozen, unable to grasp what was happening. I launched my way to Chris' side, feeling helpless and frantic as he gagged and spat into the kitchen sink, unable to dislodge the offending ingredient of his dessert.

"Wh-what's wrong? What's wrong with him? Seth?" Diane shouted, rushing over to us.

"Did you put cherries in the fruit loaf?" I asked, trying not to raise my voice to an imprint, despite the fact that my Chris was suffering because of her indirect mistake.

"Oh SHIT!" Embry's screamed penetrated the kitchen and answered my question. He shot up from his chair, knocking it backwards as he stood utterly lost as to what to do.

"Y-yes, why? What did I do?" she asked, tearing up with fright.

"He's allergic to damn cherries. We have to get him to a hospital!" I replied, frenziedly.

"Oh no!" Di cried, clamping her hand over her mouth as her eyes widened. She shook her head. "No, no, I'm sorry. I didn't know!"

We knew she was talking but we didn't hear what she was saying. Our attention was riveted on Chris, who was choking at the sink. Absolute horror coursed through me at the blur he had become. I couldn't see his hands that were clutching the kitchen counter until it splintered and cracked beneath his increasing strength. Everything in the house seemed to freeze as we watched him stumble and stagger across the kitchen, still fighting to breathe as he clutched his throat.

"Oh, for the mother of God, this can't be happening _now_!" I exclaimed, scrambling over to help him out the back door. His temperature was off the charts – he was burning against me! Embry was right on my heels after he ordered Diane to stay in the house. Then he stormed towards the tree line to phase and hopefully, call the others.

"Chris, Baby, I'm so sorry. You gotta calm down for me, okay? Please, _please_, just calm down." I pleaded, uselessly.

His throat was constricted so tightly that he could hardly choke words out. He fell unceremoniously to the forest floor. I didn't even realise I carried him that far, to be honest. He was still gagging, forcing his fingers down the back of his throat so he could expel the cherries but it just wasn't happening. I threw myself to the ground beside him but was instantly grabbed and forcefully pulled away from my mate. I protested loudly, kicking and shouting as I watched the others approach him cautiously, careful not to get to close to the imminent explosion. All I could do was scream his name in panic and fright. He was choking; he couldn't breathe! Why weren't they doing anything?

Dire panic and frustration exploded across Chris' face as his air supply was completely cut off due to the constriction of his windpipe. He was on his hands and knees, his head bowed as he blurred even more in his distress. With a strangled, choking scream, his features became undistinguishable and then I wasn't looking at my Chris.

No...choking and vomiting in front of me was the most beautiful white wolf I'd ever seen in my life. For a moment, I was lost in his magnificence, my eyes roaming his powerful limps. His tail whipped and I caught sight of black at the very tip moving to about halfway up his tail. Half of his back leg was also pitch black and he had a splattering of the darkness on his chest and back. He was massive, as big as Sam. I think Jacob was the only one that was bigger now. I felt a rush of pride course through me the longer I watched on.

My brothers phased around me and I knew that I should as well. I would be the best bet to calm him down right now, other than Paul. I quickly stripped my shorts and tee shirt off, phasing on the spot.

_What the fuck? You have got to be fucking kidding me. This is a pile of bullshit! _Chris bellowed in his anger and panic. We cringed from his volume. Jacob stepped forward.

_Chris, I understand that this may be a little confusing for you-_

_Confusing? Fuck no! I know about your damn legends! I want to know why the fuck it's happening to me!_ He snarled, viciously.

_Joshua Uley, he carried the gene-_

_Oh, that's just shitting perfect. As if he hasn't ruined my life enough already. I have to say, he's outdone himself with this one!_ He growled, sarcastically. I whined at his volume and crept closer to him. He growled at me in warning before he realised who I was. _Oh, you can't be serious...You're a fucking wolf as well? How long have you kept that shit from me? You know what, fuck this shit! It's been lie after lie throughout my whole damn life. Tell me how to phase back or whatever, I'm done._

_Chris, please, just let us explain-_

He cut Jacob off again. _Explain what exactly? That I phase into this beast because of some voodoo spirit shit that was passed down from that scum I have the displeasure of calling a father. I suppose you're gonna tell me that I have to protect the res from fucking walking corpses as well, is that it? Yeah, I fucking thought so. No all that's cleared up, how the fuck do I change back?_ He snarled, sarcastic and angry.

I had to say, I was surprised by the extent of his knowledge on the tribe's legends, especially when he didn't live here his whole life.

_Just think human...think of something that made you happy in the past._ Quil explained, tentatively. Chris snorted.

_Right, yeah, this may take a while._ He scoffed.

We watched as memory after painful memory surged through his brain like a freaking movie. I whimpered at the painful, depressing vibe I got from each of them, flinching at the parts where he got screwed over, again and again. I watched as a five year old Chris was told that his Mom died during childbirth; I felt the wrenching guilt and pain course through him like _I_ was the one that was being told. I saw him getting bullied at school for being an orphan. I saw how he crumpled within himself after his Grandmother's death and then was told that his father didn't want to claim him from the state.

As each memory played, I could feel the building anger in young Chris' heart. That anger, as I saw in his head, caused him to act out, fight back and disobey. We watched as beating after beating left Chris immobile in one of his foster homes. We all whimpered and whined in horror and disgust when that scum touched Chris in ways no one should ever be touched without their consent, especially at that age. The slight relief he felt when he realised the Marvins were nicer than any family he'd met but then the depression and sorrow that came with Molly's death crippled us all, bringing us to our knees.

We watched in horror as he tried to take his own life; the guilt of finding out that Hayley Marvin was the one who found him slashed up and bleeding to death on the bathroom floor.

We began to revel in the liberal feeling he felt when he emancipated himself from the orphanage, his momentary lost feeling when he realised that he was once again, truly on his own. Excitement coursed through the pack mind as we watched Chris buy the bike he still owned, the exhilaration he felt when he rode for the first time. Our eyes drooped as we relived the exhausting journey he undertook one his way over here from Maine. We felt his confusion as to why he was coming _here_ in particular but recognised that draw he seemed to feel, the draw to come home.

The rest we knew from our own memories. He remembered that first meeting with Jacob and I had to chuckle at his initial thoughts of my Alpha, how happy and jolly he constantly was. I frowned at the genuine unease it had made him feel in the beginning. I saw Mom make an impression on him. His confusion as to why Sam and Paul seemed to dislike him. His building relationship with Paul and then Rachel. We felt the genuine love he had for them and a sense of family he's never really had in his life.

His fear over Alex and the pride he had for himself when he conquered the fear. His hesitancy when Embry approached him but his building trust for the man as time continued on.

But through all that, his thoughts were of me; how I made him feel and the confusion he held over me. I shivered as he replayed that first kiss and by extension, what I did to him afterwards. If I was human, I would resemble a tomato right now. Chris' wolf began to calm as his memories of me continued. I relived our day in Port Angeles and every day after that. The memory that finally caused him to shift back though was that night when we decided to just go with the flow; when he conquered his fear over _me._

Chris' wolf morphed with a howling scream until human Chris was left panting, butt naked, on the grass. I passed without any real thought and pulled on my shorts. I was only vaguely aware of someone rushing into Embry's house, probably for some shorts for Chris. The majority of my attention was focused on my man, shivering on the floor in front of me. I dropped down next to him and placed my hands on his shoulder and back but he flinched away from me, a scowl fixed on his face. He stumbled to his feet, away from me and I whimpered.

"Chris please, I'm sorry. Just let me help, please?" I begged. I began to worry that he would never forgive me for keeping this from him, despite the fact that he seemed to know all about it anyway. He just shook his head, betrayal deep set on his face. "Chris, Baby, I'm so sorry. I wanted to tell you, I did but I couldn't. Please?"

"Don't...don't touch me." he gasped, moving away. He looked dazed and disorientated. I remembered how exhausting the first phase into and out of the wolf was. Brady thrust a pair of shorts into his hand and he pulled them on, stumbling slightly.

"Chris, come back to my house. The elders will need to speak to you-"

"No...no, just leave me alone." he cut Jake off, stumbling around the front of the house. Jacob rubbed his face agitatedly. He wasn't used to such disobedience from any of us. He turned to me.

"Can you please go talk to him?" he requested. I nodded and rushed after my imprint, finding him saddled on his bike. Panic shot through me. He shouldn't be riding, not when he was so tired.

"Chris, wait, please?"

"For what? For you to finally grow a pair and tell me the truth? Well, it's too late for that now. How could you keep something like this from me? Huh? I've been betrayed by many people in my life, Seth but never, NEVER, did I expect you to become one of them. I goes to show how I should have never opened my heart to you, to any of you. Just leave me alone Seth." he groused, booting of his kickstand and starting the bike.

I stood frozen, mortified by his words as pain and sorrow built up inside of me. Tears collected and brimmed over as I realised I'd hurt my Chris like all the rest. "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry. Please, just let me explain, let me make this right." I begged, whimpering. My tone made him hesitate and turned his head to me slightly. The hope that built inside me was harshly ripped away as his bike revved and shot out of the driveway, towards his house.

**Chris' Point of View**

Four days. I haven';t spoken to or seen anyone on this god forsaken reservation in four very long, dark days. My door as were locked. Fuck, my _windows_ were locked. I didn't want to see anyone. I stewed in my anger and resentment of what I'd become. My 'wolf' itched to get out, having been denied for the last 96 hours straight, ever since the first time but I wouldn't let him win. No, _I_ commanded him, not the other way around. I've had enough of people walking all over me in my life. I'll be damned before I let part of _myself_ do it as well.

People have come and gone from my front door, banging incessantly and shouting for entrance but I didn't move from my place on the couch. After all, I was dangerous now, more than ever. I shouldn't be around people. I almost caved when Seth came to my door. I always knew when it was him, not just from the scent he constantly carried but also from the pull in my chest. My wolf whimpered every time he was near, like he craved him. I had to admit that the pull was wearing me down, making it harder to deny Seth every time he came around...which was often. I doubted the he ever left. Some times, I'd catch a glimpse of sandy fur in the tree line. Was that him?

Paul seemed to be the most enthusiastic and relentless visitor. He'd spend at least fifteen minute spewing shit from his mouth, probably hoping to ignite some sort of emotion from me that would make me snap and open the door to clock him in the mouth. The sense of pain and betrayal that coursed through me when I found out he was a wolf as well almost crippled me. He was my brother, or so I thought. I told him everything about me, my most darkest secrets and embarrassments and yet, this was one thing that seemed to be above our 'brotherly bond'. Bullshit. If he was my brother, he would have told me. I had no time for traitors.

By the fifth day, my wolf was crying out for release and Seth. I could sense him circling my house constantly, sleeping outside when he became too exhausted. My arms ached to open the back door, to let him in for a few seconds but my head, the stubborn part of me was still stewing in his betrayal. By the end of the fifth day, Seth's wolf was whining and scratching at my back-door...

By the seventh day, my was practically trembling constantly with the need to phase. My wolf had moved past whining and was outright clawing at my insides for release and Seth. Seth had been at my back door constantly for the last 36 hours and I couldn't get him out of my mind. My whole body ached with the need to see him and I was just about ready to give in.

Jacob had just finished yelling at my door, demanding to be let in and for me to stop acting like a spoiled brat. He should know by now that it was exactly the opposite but I didn't care what he really thought of me anyway. I was in the kitchen, shakily running a glass of water when my back door was booted through and Paul's irate face was glaring at me as he gripped me by the collar.

"I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS SHIT!" he bellowed, causing the anger and resentment I'd harboured towards him rise to the surface. I growled in his face and yanked his hands away from me but he didn't back off, shaking ferociously with an imminent phase as he practically threw me out the back door and off the porch. I snarled and the fragile hold I had over my wolf broke, forcing him to the surface until I was him.

He stormed out the house after me, phasing without bothering with his shorts before he lunged at me.

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**You guys probably hate me but oh well! It wasn't the phase I had in mind for Chris. It kinda wrote itself in this chapter :)**

**In the next chapter, Chris' about to meet the old Paul before he imprinted and he helps him vent out his anger towards the rest of the world :)**

**Please review! I need more feedback than I'm getting! Thanks!**

**Oh, and if you haven't voted on my poll, go do it! :D**

**Love,  
****MrsWolfPack  
****x**

**PS – I found another photo of Chris' body tatt, It's the back so go check it out on my photobucket :D**


	22. Sense

**Hey, hey, my Lovelies!**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed, story Alerted and put this story in their favourites. It means everything to me :)**

**In light of recent events, this story is utterly dedicated to Oh2byoung and his family. They've touched my heart and have become very good friends to me on here in a very short time. Xx**

**Warning: 18+! Lemons ahead! Graphic! ;D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own twilight! Unfortunately...D:**

**Without further ado...Enjoy!**

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**Previously in Clouded Joy...**

_By the seventh day, my was practically trembling constantly with the need to phase. My wolf had moved past whining and was outright clawing at my insides for release and Seth. Seth had been at my back door constantly for the last 36 hours and I couldn't get him out of my mind. My whole body ached with the need to see him and I was just about ready to give in. _

_Jacob had just finished yelling at my door, demanding to be let in and for me to stop acting like a spoiled brat. He should know by now that it was exactly the opposite but I didn't care what he really thought of me anyway. I was in the kitchen, shakily running a glass of water when my back door was booted through and Paul's irate face was glaring at me as he gripped me by the collar. _

"_I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS SHIT!" he bellowed, causing the anger and resentment I'd harboured towards him rise to the surface. I growled in his face and yanked his hands away from me but he didn't back off, shaking ferociously with an imminent phase as he practically threw me out the back door and off the porch. I snarled and the fragile hold I had over my wolf broke, forcing him to the surface until I was him. _

_He stormed out the house after me, phasing without bothering with his shorts before he lunged at me._

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**Chapter 21**

**Sense**

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**Seth's Point of View**

The moment Paul lunged at the wolf who was entirely responsible for my breathing, my heart was in my throat, strangling and suffocating me. My feet felt heavy, like lead blocks weighing me down and suddenly, the scene before me became that one accident that you knew you shouldn't watch but wouldn't dare look away from.

I pleaded for Chris to move, to duck, to do _something_ but he met Paul's attack head on, causing them both to slam hard against the ground, winding them both slightly. Paul's jaws opened, razor sharp teeth glistening with his saliva as he snapped and snarled at my wolf, hovering above him menacingly. Catching him unawares, Chris' back legs kicked upwards, launching Paul up and across the yard by at least ten feet. He was instantly on his feet; Chris was just as agile and then they were circling each other, growling and snarling.

_I've had enough of your pity party, Chris. Get your stubborn fucking head out your ass long enough to see the hurt you're causing everyone around you! _Paul growled, launching himself again at Chris. He veered off to the side at the last moment, almost shoulder barging him back a few feet. Chris snarled in reply and tried to take a chunk of flesh from Paul's side, though he only managed a clump of fur as Paul dodged his attack as if he'd seen it coming.

_Oh, heaven for-fucking-bid someone hurts as much as I am! Screw you Paul! What about what I'M feeling? Where do I fit into your infinite concern for everyone else? _

Chris lunged at Paul again, snarling and snapping, clawing and biting as he wallowed in the pain and anger of what we were and how it's made him realise that he had been the monster he's perceived himself to be all his life.

_Fuck you Chris. You know damn well how much I care about you! Why do you think I'm here, hashing some sense into you? You're slowly killing yourself in there. Every second you stay away from Seth, you're slowly killing him too._ Paul groused, kicking Chris harshly in the side, throwing him into a tree trunk which splintered under his weight. It didn't deter him though; Chris was right back on his feet, crouched and growling.

_What the fuck do you know? You have no idea how I'm feeling so don't stand there and act all empathetic and shit! _Chris laughed harshly.

Chris' words seemed to spark something inside Paul, something deep within that he'd thought he'd locked away forever but as soon as the last word soared through the pack mind, Paul saw red and his growls grew louder, enraged. I gasped as Paul lunged once again, faster than ever before and he sent Chris onto his back as his teeth plunged into the side of Chris' neck. Nowhere near his jugular but close enough to make blind panic course through me. My wolf snarled and as I made to lunge into their fight to protect my mate, two large bodies pushed me back, away from them.

As Quil and Jacob continued to force me backwards, I snarled and clawed at them, my rage heightening as they kept me away from my imprint, my mate. They were preventing me from protecting him. How dare they! I tried to find a way to get through them but they were like a fucking brick wall. All the while, I watched and listened as Paul laid a whole knew smack down. I whined and whimpered as Paul threw Chris towards a tree. It snapped from the force of his throw and the weight of his body. I cringed and whimpered at the slight yelp that escaped Chris' muzzle.

_Paul! Paul stop! He gets it! Stop, please! _I shouted, leading with my pack brother but he wouldn't hear a word of it. I fought against my brothers harder but they wouldn't budge.

Paul snarled as he stalked towards Chris, who lay panting on the grassy floor next to the fallen tree. The red tinted vision coming from Paul showed us how angry he still was and I feared that this could get out of hand, more so than it already was. Paul hovered over my wolf now, his sharp teeth dangerously close to his throat as a constant ferocious growl forced itself from the silver wolf's chest. Despite the noises he was making though, his inner voice was calm, dangerously calm.

_You think I don't know what you're thinking? How you're feeling? You son of a bitch, I lost my mother too, remember? I tore her from the inside as she gave me life so don't you DARE lay there and tell me how I feel, or that I don't know what's plaguing you too. I thought I lost what little I had left in my life when I became _this_. For a short time, I too thought I'd become the monster my father had raised me to think myself as. _

_But he was wrong! It was Sam who showed me the meaning of what I, we, are. He showed me all the good we could do. He showed me that what I had before, that was nothing compared to what had been offered to me along with this wolf. He showed me what true family was. We, in this Pack, we're best friends, brothers. Blood doesn't matter; we share a goal, a purpose. I believe a purpose is what you believe you didn't have before. Well, Fucker, you have one now. To protect this tribe! Your Seth! Rachel and Alex! All of them! _

_The sooner you realise that, the happier you will be. The wolf is one with you now, Chris. There's no turning your back on him just because he represents something you've fabricated in your mind; a monster, a killer, someone who thinks he isn't worth it to be the gum on someone's shoe. Fuck that! You're worth more than most men and you deserve to be respected and acknowledged for it. _

_There are so many people here, Chris, who love you. LOVE you. You may not believe it but fucker, they do. _I_ do; so I'll be damned if I let you rot yourself in that house, to become a shell of yourself without Seth, without your family. Pull yourself together and accept what you've become because that's the only option left for you now._

Paul's voice rose and fell in his speech but all of us could feel the emotions behind it. No one had seen this level of devotion from Paul since he imprinted on Rachel. Chris remained silent, his wolf still on the grass. If I hadn't have known better, I would have thought he was dead. I could hardly see his chest moving as he breathed. I knew he'd heard every single word Paul had said. I felt gratitude rise within me for Paul. Every word he spoke was the truth. Chris should be proud. I wished that he could accept this...accept me.

_I'm...sorry, Paul...I didn't mean to...be an ass. I'm just so used to being screwed over. No mom, no dad, no grandmother, no friends, no life. It's all I'm used to. I know there's no changing this. I guess it's just going to take time to get my head around it._ Chris murmured quietly, morosely. I whined and wanted more than ever to go to him but Jacob and Quil were still blocking me, which was annoying me to no end.

_Sorry, Pup, just let Paul do his thing._ Quil chuckled. I sighed.

_You don't have to do it alone, Chris. You have us here to help you. Don't push us away because you're scared and confused. Let us in. _Paul replied, flopping down onto the ground next to my beautiful wolf.

_But it's what I've always been good at._ Chris joked, lightening the mood. Paul chuckled and shook his wolf head.

_Well then, Brother, sounds like we need to get you a new hobby._ Paul replied, nudging Chris with his snout. Chris' wolf huffed, almost like a snicker as he sprung up from laying on his side, to his belly.

_I really am sorry. You know...for the bald patch you now have on your side._ He said, quickly hoisting to his paws and running off through the forest as Paul whimpered and whipped his head to his sides. Everyone chuckled as Paul growled and shot to his feet, lunging through the forest after him.

_You little punk, just you wait until I get my hands on you!_ Paul shouted. Chris just laughed in the pack mind and pushed himself faster. I whimpered with the distance he was putting between us.

_Come on, Seth. Paul's going to bring him back to his house anyway so that we can explain everything to him properly. Let's head over there and wait for them to get back._ Jacob suggested, already running towards Chris' house. I sighed as we darted after him. I could feel the rest of the pack behind me, as if making sure I didn't deviate and head after Paul and Chris. When we reached Chris' back yard, Jacob's form morphed into its human self as his mind disengaged from ours. I sighed and looked at Quil as he did the same before shaking my head in relent.

Pulling on my shorts, I glanced back into the forest as I walked into the house. I hoped that they wouldn't take too long. The pull in my chest was already being pulled taut. How far were they running anyway? I busied myself by getting everyone drinks, including a beer for myself. Jacob cocked an eyebrow at me when he saw it but I guess he let me off this one time considering what had just happened. I slumped into Chris' favourite seat in the living room, burying my face in one of my hands as I sighed heavily. Jacob took a seat next to me, patting my back.

"Everything will be fine, Seth. Once we're finished, you can talk to him alone, settle things out." he assured me. I shook my head.

"He hates me. He's not going to want to talk to me." I whined, feeling the tears come on.

"He doesn't hate you, Seth. As if. He just hated himself." Brady said.

"I lied to him. I kept this from him."

"Because you had to. Once Chris knows everything, it'll be fine. He'll understand. Don't stress yourself out so much, Pup. Everything will turn out right." Embry assured me.

I remained silent and still, counting down the seconds until the back door opened. My head snapped up and I almost launched myself from the seat to go to my imprint. Jacob restrained me, shaking his head slightly and I sighed. My eyes were fixed on the kitchen doorway and my entire being, heart, body and soul sighed in relief as Chris came into view, seeming lighter than before. I bit my lip, watching him intently and frowning when he took a seat on the other side of the living room. I shot Jacob an 'I told you so' look but he just shrugged and shook his head dismissively.

Jacob spent the next hour and a half explaining everything to Chris in detail. As expected, he didn't like the part when he explained the passing of the gene from father to son but he soon calmed down again. He seemed to take most of it well, now that his head was somewhat cleared of the initial anger. I guess his tussle with Paul had helped vent it out of him. Jake didn't go into too much detail about the legends, knowing that Billy would want to do a bonfire for that. After everyone had welcomed Chris into the pack, giving him hug after hug that I don't think he was truly comfortable with but accepted anyway, most of the pack left. Embry stayed behind with Jacob, Paul and I.

"Chris, Man, I just want to say sorry." Embry murmured, looking at the floor. Chris frowned slightly but waited for him to continue. "I should have told Di about the cherry allergy but I guess I forgot about it. I had no idea what she was making for dinner...I'm sorry."

"Embry, it's fine. From what Jacob tells me, it would have happened eventually, whether it be because of a cherry, of all things, or someone pissing me off one day at work or at school. I guess we were lucky that it happened here, away from people. Just don't worry about it." he replied, awkwardly patting his shoulder. Embry looked up at him and nodded before surprising all of us by pulling him into a hug. Chris tensed noticeably and didn't hug him back but I guess the fact that he didn't push him away either was a big feat. Embry pulled back, blushing slightly and nodding once.

"Well, I guess I should go tell Di you're alright." he mumbled. Chris chuckled.

"Tell her it isn't her fault, okay? I should have told her anyway." Embry smiled and nodded before bidding his goodbyes. Jacob was the next to go with another 'welcome to the pack' and a reminder about the bonfire tomorrow night. With a shorter hug, Jacob left, leaving just me and Paul with Chris.

"Now don't you dare become another recluse, okay? I won't hesitate to come back and kick your ass again if you do. Besides, my boy's missed you. Come round soon okay?" Paul ordered, punching his arm. Chris chuckled and nodded, actually stepping into giving him a hug this time. Paul seemed to be the only one that Chris was comfortable with hugging, oh and my mom and Rachel. I guess I was one too but...probably to anymore. He hasn't even looked in my direction since he stepped foot out the house.

At that thought, my head bowed and I turned away from him so that he wouldn't be able to see the tears that were building in my eyes. I swallowed hard as I heard a few hushed words being exchanged between the brothers behind me and then the soft click of the front door as it closed behind Paul. Silence ensued. I was sure that he could hear my beating heart, almost throbbing in my chest. I didn't know what to say to him, where to start. All I could think about was him holding me, kissing me...loving me.

But everything within me was screaming that none of it could happen anymore. He hated me for lying to him, for keeping my darkest secret from him when he'd told me so much about his life. Fuck, I practically withheld an entire side of my personality from him. He probably feels like he doesn't know me at all. My throat constricted and it had suddenly become harder to breathe. I had to get out of here before I made a fool of myself in front of him. With my head still bowed, I turned and made my way towards the front door.

"I guess I should go. Mom will be worried." I mumbled, barely audible even to a wolf's ears. I received no reply and I wondered whether he was even still in the room anymore. I wasn't about to chance a glance at him to prove myself wrong but the mere thought of him leaving without a word made my heart bleed and the tears that had been kept at bay were now cascading down my cheeks.

My hand reached for the door handle, my fingertips barely touching it when I was swiftly spun around and pressed up against the hard wood. I gasped but it was swallowed by a pair of warm, passionate lips. A wet, demanding tongue plundered my mouth and I moaned loudly, melting into the hot chest pressing me between its owner and the door. He dominated my mouth, leaving no nook or crevasse undiscovered. I whimpered as his warm tongue flicked up against the roof of my mouth before sucking my tongue into his mouth. My head began to spin and I groaned when his powerful teeth nibbled at the tip of my tongue.

I was unable to hold my hands to my sides and they reached up, exploring the powerful sides and rippling back of the man before me. He was so much hotter now that he was a wolf, his muscles more defined and hard beneath my fingertips. The ache in my shorts grew uncomfortable and I bucked forward, hoping to find that friction I desperately needed. I wasn't disappointed. He ground against me in response, pressing himself even closer to me until I couldn't figure out where I ended and he began.

I squeaked when I was suddenly lifted from the ground, away from the door. My legs instinctively wrapped around his waist, grinding myself tightly against him. We both moaned and he broke the kiss, trailing hot, wet kisses down the column of my throat. He nibbled on my Adam's apple, seeming to know where he was going as he walked us blindly through the house. His lips crashed to mine again, rendering me mindless and I heard a distant slam of a door, twice over before my back was laid against a soft mattress and my hips were being ground into it.

Chris sat up on his knees, pulling me with him so that I straddled his thighs. His eyes were closed and both of us were panting. I could feel his heart hammering inside his chest against mine. He pulled back from me, his eyes downcast as he focused on his next task. My arms lifted helpfully as he grabbed the hem of my shirt but it made no difference. He tore it from me instead. I moaned in need at the sight of his strength and pressed my hips down into him. He growled, attaching his mouth to my chest. He trailed his lips to my nipple, parting them slightly to suck it into his mouth.

My eyes rolled back and I moaned. I fucking loved it when he paid extra attention to my chest. It felt so good. My hands fisted in his hair, securing him to me as he alternated between my nipple, sucking, licking and nibbling at them until I was a moaning, mindless mess above him and my cock was harder than steel crying out for release.

"Oh, God Chris." I whimpered with my head thrown back. He growled in response, slamming me back down on the bed as he descended towards my shorts. I moaned and watched in anticipation as he unbuttoned and zipped them, yanking them down my legs and throwing them blindly across the room. My cock sprung free and he growled feral at the sight. The desire and need I could see shining in his eyes was enough to make it twitch for him.

I cried out as his plump, wet lips wrapped around the seeping head of my cock, moaning when he took me deep into his throat. He didn't let up, sucking hard and swirling his tongue around the very tip as I bucked under him, throwing my head this way and that in search of my release. Fuck, how I needed release! Delicious constriction around my sac had me groaning and I glanced down, seeing him massaging me as he sucked me off. His fingers crept lower to my perineum and pressed gently, making me gasp and buck wildly. He chuckled lowly, satisfied with himself.

His hand dipped lower and I tensed, feeling his fingertip against my hole. That the feel of my tense body, he froze too except for his lips caressing the skin between my hips, back and forth, back and forth. I shivered as his warm breath cascaded across my skin.

"Shh...Seth, it's okay...tell me to stop and I will." he breathed against me, continuing his small nudges against my opening. The thought of having him stop made me panic. That was the last thing I wanted him to do. No, he had to keep going. I whimpered my protest and I felt him smile against my skin.

"D-don't stop...please." I mumbled. He nodded and brought his fingers up to swipe the leaking head of my cock before pressing one against me again. My eyes closed as he took my member in his mouth again, losing myself in the sensations enveloping my body.

I was unable to stop myself tensing when his digit penetrated me. He stopped. "Tell me you want this." he ordered. I took a deep breath and tried to relax, knowing that that was what he was waiting for.

"Oh God, yes, I want this." I panted, swallowing hard.

His digit slid in further and I gritted my teeth, trying not to tense up again. Inch by inch, his finger slid into me until it was all the way in, all the while he suckled on my shaft and head to take the edge off. When he continued not to move, I squirmed, prompting him to wiggle his finger slightly. I gasped and moaned, my eyes rolling back as he continued his ministrations. Eventually, I was bucking into his mouth and finger. A sharp but brief pain made me aware of his second finger, slightly more slicker suggesting he'd swiped some more cum from my tip. The sensations were like a constant hum now that I couldn't tell the difference abut where the pleasure was coming from. The delicious burn of my backside added to the pleasure he enticed throughout my body.

He made a scissor motion with his fingers, stretching me out and preparing me for what was to come. I swallowed hard thinking about how well-endowed he was _before_ his shift and slightly dread what it was like now. But still, a part of me was excited and aroused at the thought as well.

He began to suck and nibble my dick with more vigour as my breathing hitched faster and faster, signalling my imminent release. My hands clawed at the bedsheets beneath me and my hips now had a mind of their own, bucking and jutting up into his mouth and fingers with wanton abandon. I tried to hold back, not wanting to gag him or anything but with the rate he kept deep-throating me and the memories of the first time he did this, it seemed he didn't even have a gag reflex at all. I'd have to investigate that further on a later date.

My mind exploded abruptly, my balls tightening as he bobbed up my cock, scraping his teeth gently up my shaft before nibbling the very tip. I gasped and screamed his name, throwing my head back as I came in thick, white spurts into his waiting mouth. He swallowed eagerly, moaning. At the peak of my pleasure, he entered a third finger into me but I didn't feel it. I was floating on my explosive high; my mind was mush and my body was putty in his hands. And oh what talented hands they were!

He showered every inch of my skin between my hips to my jaw with millions of kisses, leaving no sliver of skin untouched by his lips as he waited for me to calm down and rejoin the land of the coherent. I moaned breathlessly as he licked my nipples on his ascent and then licked and nibbled my jugular as he hovered over me, panting as if he was just the one whose world had shattered around them. He nibbled a trail across my jaw before dominating my lips with his. His fingers slipped from my ass and he swallowed my moan of pleasure and protest. He chuckled in response.

He returned his face to my neck, brushing his lips across that sensitive tendon as his slowly massaged my cock back to full mast. One perk of being what we were was the fast recovery and I'd never been more grateful of it than right now. My head titled as he nipped me.

"Tell me you want me." he growled into my neck suddenly, making me jump as the silence was disturbed. He nipped my neck harder, sending a jolt of pleasure through me. "Tell me!"

"I want you. Oh _fuck_, please? Please!" I whined, clutching at his back and shoulders. He growled and pulled away from me, making me whimper and frown. He smirked and chuckled, turning away from me as he searched my bedside table whilst dropping his jeans to the ground. My eyes widened as my dread was prove to be rational. He was fucking huge, even more so. He gave a grunt of approval as he found what he was looking for and I bit my lip, smiling as he found the lube I used to get myself off.

He popped the cap and squirted a generous amount into his hands, massaging his cock fully with the slippery gel. I moaned loudly at the sight of him touching himself and all I could think about was what was coming. Fuck, I wanted him.

"Now. Please, take me now." I pleaded, biting my lip until I tasted blood, with my eyes closed. He growled and suddenly, his heat surrounded me again. I could feel his slick member sliding easily against mine and I moaned. He swallowed it with his mouth as he crashed his lips to mine with renewed vigour and desire. "Now! I want you now. Do it!"

He groaned and suddenly, he was right there, pressing against my entrance. I tried to relax and with the amount of prep he gave me and his generosity with the lube, his head made way into me easily. We both gasped in unison, my eyes shooting wide at his intrusion. It was a mixture of pleasure and pain. The burning was worse than with the two fingers but I expected nothing less. He was fucking huge!

He seemed to be waiting for my signal to continue so I kissed his neck, moaning in need. He grunted and began to enter me further. Each inch burned and I gritted my teeth, whimpering. He whispered soft assurances in my ear and they helped. His hips came to settle against me. He was inside of me, all the way. A sense of disbelief and joy coursed through me at the realisation and I beamed towards the ceiling as I caressed his back. He trembled with the effort to keep still.

I pressed my hands to the small of his back and pushed down, urging him silently to move again. He groaned and obeyed, withdrawing an inch before sheathing himself again. I moaned and showed him my neck, allowing him to feast on my skin as he pumped increasingly faster and longer into me.

My mind began to collapse into itself again as he sped up, panting and grunting with each thrust into me. My noises were no longer coherent. I could barely control my limbs to push my hips to meet his but I did, causing a faint slapping sound course through the room as our skin made contact. But still, I knew he was holding back. He didn't want to hurt me but I wasn't going to. I was a wolf. I could handle him.

"More, Chris...harder." I keened, wrapping my legs around his waist so I could pull him harder into me with each thrust. He moaned and obeyed yet again, snapping his hips to mine. He was going so deep. He shifted slightly, hitting something within me that caused me to see stars and gasp shrilly. "OH FUCK! Again! Do that again!"

And he did. Over and over again. I gasped and cried out, writhing beneath him as he pounded into me. It was all I could to do just hang on as he growled and grunted into my neck, biting and sucking on that fucking tendon. Ah, fuck this feels awesome!

"Oh God...Chris, I'm so close...please..." I whimpered, clawing at him. He grunted and gave an exceptionally strong shove into me. I gasped and my eyes slammed shut tightly. He kept his pace but pulled his face from my neck. A hand snaked between us and I jumped slightly as it wrapped itself around my weeping cock. I moaned as he began to pump it. I was so close.

"Seth, look at me. Look at me!" he growled. I yelped and my eyes snapped open, connecting with his instantly. I gasped at what I saw there on his wide eyed, dazed expression– the love, desire, need and devotion. I couldn't bear to look away but at that precise moment, that looming cliff reached its end and I was toppling off, my eyes rolling back in my head as I screamed for him. Our stomachs and chests were splattered with thick, creamy substance as I caught my release. "Ah fuck!"

he buried his face into my neck again and jutted into me three times before tensing completely. He gave a strangled growl and I felt his hot, thick release coat my insides. His sharp teeth latched onto my tense tendon and bit down hard, drawing blood. I became completely boneless, my mind exploding as darkness overcame me.

* * *

**Okay, so that was my very first attempt at a full slash lemon. Please, tell me how I did. I hope I didn't disappoint. **

**Was Paul's intervention enough for you guys? You think he got his point across?**

**Please leave me a review!**

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****MrsWolfPack  
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	23. Bites and Epiphanies

**Hey, hey, my Lovelies!**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed, story alerted and put this story in their favourites. It means everything to me :)**

**Dedicated to Oh2byoung and his family. Love ya guys xx**

**Disclaimer: I don't own twilight! Unfortunately...D:**

**Without further ado...Enjoy!**

* * *

**Previously in Clouded Joy...**

"_Seth, look at me. Look at me!" he growled. I yelped and my eyes snapped open, connecting with his instantly. I gasped at what I saw there on his wide eyed, dazed expression– the love, desire, need and devotion. I couldn't bear to look away but at that precise moment, that looming cliff reached its end and I was toppling off, my eyes rolling back in my head as I screamed for him. Our stomachs and chests were splattered with thick, creamy substance as I caught my release. "Ah fuck!"_

_He buried his face into my neck again and jutted into me three times before tensing completely. He gave a strangled growl and I felt his hot, thick release coat my insides. His sharp teeth latched onto my tense tendon and bit down hard, drawing blood. I became completely boneless, my mind exploding as darkness overcame me._

* * *

**Chapter 22**

**Bites and Epiphanies**

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**Seth's Point of View**

My face tickled. Soft, feather-like pillows glided across my skin, adding the most delicious amounts of pressure every second or so. Consciousness was slowly creeping up behind me, awakening my senses to the world around me. Gentle, calloused hands caressed my stomach and I moaned silently, turning my head into the pillow beneath it. The soft pillows travelled to my neck, sporadic flicks of wetness joining them in their travels. My eyes fluttered but did not open.

I took a deep breath, bombarded by a familiar scent, one I'd grown to love and depend on. I inhaled again, feeling a weird drunkenness come over me with every lungful. A sigh of contentment gushed from my chest and I heard a distant chuckle. Those soft pads continued on their journey down my neck, tickling an extra sensitive spot near my collarbone and I couldn't help but moan that little bit louder, a shiver coursing through me. Again, there was a chuckle.

A gasp surged through me and my back arched as wet, plump lips wrapped around one of my nipples. A pimply, warm, wet tongue glided over it, flicking it teasingly. I moaned and smiled, stretching lazily as the warm body hovering above me continued its barrage of attentions upon me. The lips changed course across my chest and I bit my lips as my hands crept through soft strands of satin. At my conscious touch, the lips removed themselves from my chest and I groaned in protest.

Unable to prevent it any longer, my eyes opened to the harshly lit room and I blinked rapidly, making the man above me chuckle heavily and caressed the back of my eyelids with his thumbs. When they moved, I opened my eyes again and looked up at the shadow. Smiling down at me was the most beautiful man I'd ever seen. I couldn't help but smile back widely and sigh in contentment.

"It's about time you woke up, Pup." Chris mock scolded, making me roll my eyes and smile wider. "You've been out for a solid 12 hours. I thought I'd broken you."

"12 hours? Really? Oh…" I spluttered, surprised but then grinned slyly, laughing. "But on the contrary, I feel fucking awesome."

He laughed loudly, which was like music to my ears. "Yeah, say that when you eventually get out of bed…I was pretty rough with you." He trailed off, frowning slightly. I sighed and grabbed his face, making me look deep into my eyes.

"Don't. Just don't, okay? I feel great. So what if I'm sore when I move. I don't care. Last night…what we did…that was the best night of my life and nothing you say will take that away from us." I said sternly but quietly. He sighed and nodded in acceptance, peering down at me silently. I watched him watch me, raking my eyes over his face as he stroked my cheeks, gently. I searched his eyes, seeing that same level of love and devotion swimming within them. The desire was still there, which I was extremely glad to see, but it was now on a back burner as he gazed down at me.

I thought back to his expression last night as I came and bit my lip. I'd seen it somewhere before, be it my memory or someone else's in the pack. I reached up and traced his eyebrows, which had been slightly raised above wide eyes last night and then down to his jaw, which had been slack with his lips parted. My brow furrowed. Where have I seen that before?

"Seth, what's wrong?" he murmured, his expression turning worried. I shook my head, still lost in my thoughts. He watched me carefully. "You look confused."

"What did you feel last night? When you told me to look at y-" I cut off abruptly, my eyes widening in shock and hope. This worried him deeper and he sat up, bringing me with him. I couldn't stop staring at him in disbelief. "Oh my God…"

"What? What's wrong? What did I do?" he asked, almost frantically. My breathing picked up and overwhelming joy began to bubble in my chest. I couldn't believe this. He had to have…right? They come in pairs… "Seth!"

"Did you imprint on me last night?" I spluttered out, still slack-jawed. He frowned in confusion now, eyeing me critically.

"Maybe I _did_ break you…What on earth are you talking about?" he asked, impatiently. Shit, Jake never told him…

"What did you feel last night when you looked at me? Apart from…you know, the obvious." I added, blushing slightly. He looked amused at the appearance.

"You let me do that to you and you _still_ blush?" he chuckled, shaking his head. I smiled.

"Could you just answer the question? And of course I did, I'm not lost in the moment anymore." I added, rolling my eyes.

"Right…I don't know. I guess there was a whole lot of need and stuff. And want; I wanted you." He told me, grinning devilishly. I blushed harder and bit my lip, cursing myself from getting distracted from the conversation at hand. Damn him and his sexy smile….I did love it though. No! Seth, focus!

"I said apart from the obvious, Chris. And I know you wanted me. You were kinda taking me at that point, Baby." I reminded him, smirking. Where the hell did this Seth come from? Chris laughed as his eyes darkened, boring down into mine. I shivered. "But what else? Apart from…that."

"Well I don't know; I was kinda busy." He exclaimed, laughing incredulously at my interrogation. I sighed.

"Please? It's important." I implored, pouting up at him. He sighed.

"Fuck, I hate to love that face." He whined, covering my mouth. I giggled, and I was sure my eyes sparkled with mischief and humour. He rolled his eyes. "Fine, okay, let me think…"

I nodded and fell silent, watching his face as his eyes glazed over with memories. Se4veral emotions passed across his face and I bit my lip at the same levels of desire and lust flared in his eyes. In that precise moment, his arm that was wrapped around my waist pulled me closer, tight to his body. I yelped slightly at the abrupt movement and his eyes focused briefly as he smirked at me sideways. Then he was submerged again and a frown marred his face. My curiosity piqued and I moved closer. Damn, I wished I could read minds. Where the fuck was Edward when you needed him?

"It's weird…" he mumbled, frowning deeper. I caressed his lips with my own and then his forehead. His face straightened out slightly.

"What is? What do you remember?" I asked, hopefully.

"I don't know how to explain it…it was like…when I looked at you, I had some weird tunnel vision. It was like you glowed before me and you were all I could see. That's weird, right?" he asked, glancing at me, fully focused. I shook my head and grinned.

"Carry on. What else?" I pushed, biting a fingernail. He grabbed my hand and frowned at me in reprimand. I blushed.

"Why do you wanna know so much?"

"Stop answering my questions with questions. It's very annoying. Just answer it." I sighed, pushing his chest. He huffed.

"Okay, so…I guess I was a little…no, a lot protective. Like you were in danger or some shit. I felt that you were mine, only mine. Mine!" he growled suddenly, pushing against my chest abruptly so that I was laid down again and his face hovered inches above mine, panting. My eyes were wide slightly but after a second, I giggled. He looked confused by his behaviour and made to get off me but I wrapped my arms around his waist, securing him to me.

"It's okay. It's not weird. Keep going." I encouraged, smiling. He sighed and allowed his weight to rest completely on top of me.

"You need to be happy." He said after a few minutes. He stared down at me adamantly. I nodded. "I need you to be happy and…it's like I have to do everything I can to make you happy…if you're not. I want you safe…The thought of someone putting you in danger, _hurting_ you…"

He trailed off and began to shake slightly. I stroked his back and they stopped instantly. I smiled. "So you feel protective and possessive. You want me happy and safe?" I summarised. He frowned and nodded. I grinned brightly. "Fucking A…You did!"

"Did what? What did I do?" he asked, worriedly. I laughed loudly, joyously. He looked at me like I was crazy and I couldn't help but grab his face in my hands and press my lips to his, hard.

He growled into me and forced his tongue passed my lips without asking for permission, dominating the kiss instantly. I moaned and clenched my fists in his hair as he explored my mouth thoroughly. He pulled away suddenly and I whined in protest. He was panting harshly as he rested his forehead against mine. I swallowed hard and licked my lips, almost moaning again at his lingering taste. I looked up at him, noting the lust in his eyes. I shivered.

"Don't distract me. What did I do?" he asked, growling slightly. I smiled.

"You imprinted on me." he giggled, happily. He looked at me expectantly as if waiting for me to say more. When I didn't, he sighed impatiently.

"Which is what, exactly?" he asked, exasperatedly.

"Okay, imprinting is kinda like mates, you know? The person, or guy in our case, you're gonna spend the rest of your life with if that's what he wants. We're whoever they want us to be. He's the most important guy in your life…You're the most important guy in my life, at least. I added, dropping my gaze to his neck as I trailed off.

"You did this imprinting thing on me?" he asked, unsure. I nodded, biting my lip. He nodded, thoughtfully. "So what happens with it?"

"Oh, um…I guess anything that imprint wants. You have to be someone they need so like…a brother, a friend or a fuck buddy, I guess too. It's up to them what type of relationship they have." I explained. Again, he nodded.

"And you say I've done this to you?" he checked. I nodded.

"I believe so, yes." I replied, certainly. He nodded again; what's with all the nodding? He needed to use his words, Man, his words!

"So…what do you want me to be for you?" he asked, unsure. I stared up at him.

"You mean, you believe me? Just like that?" I asked, surprised. He frowned.

"Why wouldn't I believe you? Did you lie?" he asked, suspiciously. I shook my head vehemently. "So then what do you want from me?"

"Well I…um…" I spluttered, blushing wildly as this conversation was turned on me. I swallowed hard and diverted my gaze.

He made me look back at him and asked once again, his face stern and open. "Seth, tell me."

"I want…you. I want you, with me, holding me, k-kissing me." I stuttered, feeling like an utter idiot. My face was flaming hot but he didn't notice, focusing on my eyes.

"You're sure?"

I nodded. "Yes, I want you." I replied, adamantly and more confident.

His face broke out into the most beautiful smile I'd ever seen on his face and I couldn't help but return it. He cupped my jaw and leaned down, kissing me softly, tenderly and I melted beneath him. He didn't take control instantly, he built it up. He made me quiver with need with every caress of his lips and I sighed when he finally requested entrance with his tongue, allowing it instantly. This kiss was so different to all the others and much more. My heart flared to life and I poured everything I was feeling into the kiss, showing him how I felt without words. He moaned softly and I smiled against his lips, slowly retracting mine from his.

His eyes were closed and he too was smiling softly. When he opened his eyes, they were the lightest I've ever seen them, like a chocolate brown now instead of his dark, obsidian shade. It made him seem younger almost, his real age. It was like in this moment, he wasn't being plagued by his past or the fear of his future. I loved seeing him like this…

I loved him. I was in love with him.

The realisation shook me to the core and I felt tears prickle my eyes. As he'd been watching me all the while, he frowned, seeing my sudden emotional state.

"Seth?" he whispered, worriedly. I shook my head and pulled him back to me. He sighed and kissed me back. I pulled back from him, shaking slightly. "Seth, wha-"

"I love you." I blurted out, breathlessly.

He froze above me but I couldn't come to regret saying it. I had to. It felt right. I watched him carefully. He swallowed hard and continued to watch me back.

"Seth, you- I…I can't-"

"Shh, it's okay. I didn't expect you to say it back yet. I just…wanted to tell you. It's fine." I assured him, pulling his head to my chest. He sighed shakily against my skin and burrowed his arms behind my back to hold me close.

I don't know how long we laid there. All I could pay attention to was Chris and his slowly breathing. I knew he wasn't asleep as he was stroking my hips lazily but we were both just enjoying the silence of the morning. About an hour later, he began to move again and looked up at me, smiling.

"Come on, I'll make you some breakfast." He offered and as if on cue, my stomach growled loudly, making the both of us laugh. He shook his head and hopped off me and the bed. I pouted at his distance and he chuckled. "That face will be the death of me one day."

I pouted harder. "I hope not. I kinda like you alive." He replied, dryly. He chuckled and shook his head, extending a hand out to me. I grabbed it and sat up, gasping as a shot of pain shot up my spine.

"Mother Fucker! Shit, you weren't kidding!" I shouted, whining. He chuckled.

"I told you that you should wait until you get outta bed." He said, cocking an eyebrow at him. I scowled at him, making him smile. "Come on, nice and slow. Go jump in the shower whilst I cook for you. You'll feel better."

"It'd be even better if you joined me." _What the fuck? Seth, you're such a slut!_

He laughed and shook his head. "Pup, if I got in that shower with you, you _won't_ be washing." He warned, making me blush and scamper off towards the bathroom with him bellowing with laughter behind me.

My body was stiff as I shuffled into the bathroom, my face scrunched up with every twinge of pain from my backside. I reached up to turn the water on before turning towards the bathroom mirror. I looked my face over, taking in the light in my eyes and smile on my lips. I looked happy. My eyes drifted down towards my neck and my eyes widened at the dark bite mark standing out massively even against my russet skin. I skimmed my fingertips across it, noticing that it didn't feel the same as when Chris touched it this morning. I briefly thought about what the other guys would say about it and whether Leah was going to flip out.

I showered as quickly as my ass would allow, cringing every time I moved the wrong way. I was beginning to believe in what Chris had been saying. This hurt like a bitch but it was worth it. Feeling his hands on me, his lips…It was everything I thought it would be. Sure, I had in no way anticipated waking up next to Chris this morning. It seemed like a dramatic change from yesterday morning when I was scratching at huis back door in severe pain.

No longer basking in the immediate gratification of having Chris near me, I began to feel the consequences of my prolonged hunger. My stomach ached and I groaned, hoping that Chris was finished cooking when I was done here. I dried thoroughly and dressed quickly, eager to return to Chris. I entered the kitchen one-handedly drying my hair with a towel. Chris was at the stove, frying bacon and sausages. My stomach growled again and he laughed loudly without even turning round.

"Take a seat. This is done." He called to me, turning as shovelling the bacon onto a plate already brimming with eggs, mushrooms and an omelette.

I groaned as he placed the plate in front of me, kissing the top of my head before heading over to fix his own plate. I tucked in immediately, hardly letting the food touch the sides of my mouth before swallowing. I couldn't remember the last time I ate, what with everything that had been going on so this was like heaven to my mouth and stomach. He laughed again as he took a seat next to me at the island counter, eating slightly slower.

"Easy Seth, don't make yourself choke or anything. I can make more." He offered and I nodded.

"Please do." I groaned. He laughed and nodded, digging into his food. When I was finished, I took a few slices of toast and eat them in four bites whilst eyeing his plate. He glanced at me and cocked an eyebrow. I probably looked pitiful because he chuckled and slid his plate over to me before heading back to the fridge with a piece of toast sticking out his mouth.

"How much more do you want?" he asked, glancing at me over his shoulder. I gave him a look and he rolled his eyes. "You'll get another plateful and make do."

I whined but nodded in relent. "Fine but I want extra mushrooms." I stipulated. He nodded, smiling and then got back to work as I polished his plate off.

When we sat to eat again, he wouldn't let me anywhere near his plate, which made me pout. That, of course, made him scowl at me and offer me a piece of his bacon. "Definitely the death of me." he grumbled, shaking his head. I grinned.

I helped him rinse the dishes and wash the utensils he used before loading them up into the dishwasher. He never really used it unless he was busy or couldn't be bothered to hand wash them. When he'd set it, he pulled me out the kitchen towards the stairs. I followed him like a lost sheep, or puppy rather. I giggled at the thought and he glanced back at me, cocking his eyebrow. I just shrugged and shook my head, making him chuckle.

We actually discovered that he'd torn my clothes off me last night. Neither of us had realised at the time due to being…erm, preoccupied so he had to lend me some of his clothes. It should have bothered me that we just had breakfast practically naked (though I had a towel on and he had his boxer briefs) but it didn't. It felt natural. We watched each other as we dressed; the looks he was giving me had me blushing the entire time but he would just chuckle every time I looked away quickly. He seemed so comfortable now, like his past hadn't happened though I know that was just a front. Deep down, he still suffered from it.

I was just pulling some of his sneakers on when the front door opened downstairs. Chris and I glanced at each other briefly before he kissed the side of my head and left the bedroom. I sighed in contentment as I watched him go; wishing that he'd kissed my lips, not my temple. _Later_, I assured myself with a grin. I followed after him a second later, scratching my stomach idly until I heard a deep growl I recognised immediately. I couldn't help the shiver of lust that coursed through me, though it was soon accompanied by worry and concern.

I rushed down the stairs, taking three at a time and came face to face with a potentially dangerous situation. It seemed that Joshua had had enough of giving Chris time to come to terms with everything that's happened, and was now stood in the hallway flanked by his eldest son. I sighed, shaking my head as I approached Chris, who was shaking badly as he glared at Josh.

Josh was saying something but I wasn't listening. My entire focus was on Chris as I stroked a hand across his chest and grabbed his forearm with my free hand. His shaking nearly stopped but he still trembled slightly. He grasped the hand that was on his forearm and gave it a soft squeeze in thanks. I turned my eyes to Josh and Sam, who was lancing between us in curiosity.

"Has he marked you already?" Sam asked, incredulously after a long, tense silence. Chris growled deeply again, taking a step towards Sam but I held him back, murmuring words of comfort before turning my glare to his brother.

"That has nothing to do with you. What are you doing here?" I asked, trying to keep the displeasure of their presence and Chris' intense irritation from my voice. Sam didn't reply and kept glancing between us. However, it was Josh who replied.

"The pack is coming over here to discuss stuff and get Chris onto the patrol schedule."

"So then why are you here? This doesn't concern you." Chris spat, gritting his teeth. Hurt flashed over Josh's face and for a moment, I felt sorry for the man. Then I remembered what he did all those years ago, abandoning him when he needed him the most and that pity had vanished.

Josh was about to reply when Jacob came through the front door behind Sam, his face turning exasperated as he took in the scene before him. "Really? You had to get here first?" he asked, rolling his eyes. Neither Uley answered. "I'm sorry, Chris. I should have called you. They were told to hang on a little while until they were sure more of us were here. It won't happen again."

With that, Jake shot Josh and Sam and meaningful glare, ensuring that they understood his command. Sam nodded shortly in acknowledgement whilst Josh just sighed, tiredly. Then Jacob came forward and hugged both of us, stiffening slightly as he leaned into me, right above my mark. He pulled back, raising an eyebrow in question before glancing between us and gently tugging down the front of my shirt collar. I noted the smug smirk on Chris' face as Jacob looked at him, grinning.

"Damn, you don't waste time! Have you…" he trailed off, glancing at me in question and I nodded. His eyes flashed in acknowledgement and he grinned, pulling Chris into another hug. I noticed the lack of discomfort on Chris' part as well. "Congrats, guys. It's about time."

"What do you mean?" Chris asked, looking confusedly between us. I shot a slight glare at Jacob and he gave me a look as if to ask 'what?' I shook my head. Jacob didn't know I haven't told him how long ago I imprinted on him, just that I had told him I had. I smiled at Chris and grabbed his hand, leading him towards the living room. "What did he mean?"

"It's nothing. I'll tell you later, I promise." I reassured him, playfully pushing him down in the recliner before hopping up into his lap. He seemed slightly surprised at first before a soft rumble sounded in his chest and he pulled me closer, branding his arms around me. He buried his face into my neck and inhaled, sighing in contentment afterwards. I relaxed completely in his lap and rested my head against his.

Jacob and the others trickled in, taking seats around us whilst giving us curious, happy glances. Chris' face was still buried in my neck and by the time he resurfaced, he seemed surprised by the bodies littering his living room. He wasn't embarrassed to be caught in such a state with me though, which made me happy. He resettled me in his lap so I was seated sideways and then looked to Jacob, who was still watching us.

"You wanted to talk?" Chris prompted, smirking as Jacob jolted from his day dream and blushed. I smiled.

"Sorry, I'm not used to seeing you so…"

"Hands on?" Chris provided, smirking wider. Jacob nodded, blushing harder. "I blame the beast within me."

I laughed and shook my head before nodding at Jacob to start. He began talking about patrol routes and where not to go. I watched Chris as he looked at Jacob, taking everything in like sponge. Chris asked questions for himself, like about the Cullens and where the treaty line was. I was proud that he seemed comfortable enough to speak out in a room full of people. The 'old Chris' wouldn't have done that.

When it came to fitting him into the patrol schedule, Sam expressed his wish to run with him but one growl from Chris trumped that idea. Jacob had him with Paul and him for the first couple of his shifts this week just so that they could show him the ropes. I pouted when Jacob said I wouldn't be on with him, which made everyone laugh at me. Chris simply chuckle in my ear and said too low for anyone else to hear,

"If you patrolled with me, I might get distracted by your tail. Then I wouldn't be held accountable for my actions when I take you in wolf form."

I gasped, my eyes widening hugely as I squirmed slightly at the thought. The room exploded with laughter and wolf whistles at my reaction, despite the fact that they didn't hear what he said. My reaction would be enough to decipher what he'd said was along _those_ lines.

"Damn, Chris, what the fuck did you just say? I've never seen my brother so…red." Leah gasped through her laughter and I covered my face in mortification. Not only that but I was aroused and I knew that Chris could feel it against his forearm. He knew that I liked the sound of that and his smirk proved it. Thank God he had his arm in my lap otherwise my embarrassment would be worse.

"I heard something about a tail and wolf form. I'm intrigued, lil' bro." Paul taunted, making Chris growl. I noticed that Sam had tensed at Paul's term of endearment towards Chris but he'd just have to suck it up. Paul just laughed. "Well Seth, care to share what good ol' Chris is gonna do to you?"

I swallowed hard and shook my head swiftly, turning my head into his chest. Paul scoffed and shook his head. Chris growled at him for teasing me. "Easy now. We'll have to wrestle one of these days. I've had to hold back all those times before but not now."

"You're on." Chris accepted his challenge easily, confidently as he held my face to his chest. He had to have felt the heat radiating from my face against his chest. Paul smirked.

"Okay, well, there's a bonfire scheduled for later. Starts at seven and everybody is expected to be there." Jacob ordered, looking around at everyone, who nodded back in acceptance. Chris, you've got patrol tomorrow night with Paul and I."

"But what about Rach? She'll be okay on her own?" Chris asked, worry slightly coating his voice. Jacob smiled and Paul smirked.

"She'll be fine. My sister isn't one to get scared or go down without a fight. It's just patrol." he assured my wolf. Chris nodded and I looked at him.

"If it'll make you more comfortable, I could stay with her until Paul gets back. That way I'll be able to spend some quality time with Alex as well." I offered, making Chris grin at me and nod.

"Yeah, thanks."

"Thanks Seth." Paul added, giving me a nod as well. I smiled.

"Alright, everyone get outta here." Jacob ordered and everyone scampered off to do their own thing, most likely spending time with their imprints. I stayed cuddled up to Chris in the armchair and he had his face buried into my neck again. His nose brushed over my mark occasionally with was accompanied by a shiver from me every time.

"Why are you even more appealing to me now?" Chris asked, curiously as he pulled away from my neck to look me in the ye. I shrugged and looked over at Jake, who was still watching us. "I mean, all I wanna do is throw you down and do some naughty shit. Is that normal?"

I bit back a moan and swallowed at his words as a bright blush gathered on Jacob's cheeks. His eyes were slightly wider but what had me giggling was his slacked jaw. Chris seemed to take notice of his surroundings again and blushed slightly, dropping his gaze as he spotted Jacob sat a few feet from us. Ha, he thought we were alone. At least he didn't get handsy. I doubt Jacob would have appreciated that, no matter how laid back he was about our relationship.

"Oh, sorry, Jacob." he mumbled, coughing awkwardly. Jacob shook his head and shot us an amused look.

"Don't worry about it. I just wanted to ask you how you took the imprint." he replied, glancing at me. I smiled.

Chris shrugged. "It's alright, I guess. What could possibly weirder than the ability to combust into a beast?" he asked rhetorically. Jacob chuckled and I rolled my eyes.

"So you know everything that comes with it then? Did Seth explain about the bond between you, what it means if you#re apart and stuff?" Jacob asked. I shook my head and Chris glanced between the two of us. It wasn't that I'd kept it away from him; I just hadn't come around to telling him yet.

"No, he didn't."

"Right, well, we'll explain everything later. Oh and before I go, Seth you might want to where a turtle neck or something...Leah's going to kill the both of you and I dread to think what Sue will do when she sees that bite." Jacob warned and I paled, knowing how both of them would react. They're gonna freak out. Chris nodded and pulled me closer. Jacob waved and left the house, shouting a 'Seven o'clock' over his shoulder as he went.

* * *

**This chapter was a filler to get us to the bonfire. Not quite sure I like this one to be honest but oh well, I have deadlines and promises to keep to. :)**

**Matt, I hope you appreciated Seth's new pet name hehe ;)**

**I hope you guys enjoyed it enough to leave a review :D**

**love  
****MrsWolfPack  
****x**


	24. Bombshell

**Hey, hey, my Lovelies!**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed, story Alerted and put this story in their favourites. It means everything to me :)**

**Dedicated to Oh2byoung and his family, Seth, Rich and Sam. The best people I've met on here. Love ya guys :3**

**Disclaimer: I don't own twilight! Unfortunately...D:**

**Without further ado...Enjoy!**

* * *

**Previously in Clouded Joy...**

"_Don't worry about it. I just wanted to ask you how you took the imprint." he replied, glancing at me. I smiled._

_Chris shrugged. "It's alright, I guess. What could possibly weirder than the ability to combust into a beast?" he asked rhetorically. Jacob chuckled and I rolled my eyes._

"_So you know everything that comes with it then? Did Seth explain about the bond between you, what it means if you're apart and stuff?" Jacob asked. I shook my head and Chris glanced between the two of us. It wasn't that I'd kept it away from him; I just hadn't come around to telling him yet._

"_No, he didn't."_

"_Right, well, we'll explain everything later. Oh and before I go, Seth you might want to where a turtle neck or something...Leah's going to kill the both of you and I dread to think what Sue will do when she sees that bite." Jacob warned and I paled, knowing how both of them would react. They're gonna freak out. Chris nodded and pulled me closer. Jacob waved and left the house, shouting a 'Seven o'clock' over his shoulder as he went._

* * *

**Chapter 23**

**Bombshell**

* * *

**Seth's Point of View**

To be perfectly honest, I think I was more nervous about this bonfire than Chris was and he was practically the special guest. I kept expecting him to shut himself off from everyone again, to leave me as he ran screaming the other way. Maybe it was irrational of me to think that way but I couldn't help it nonetheless. As I watched Chris waltz around his bedroom in nothing but a towel, sure I was drooling the tiniest bit but I couldn't stop thinking about how he was going to take the rest of this crazy world we lived in. He's already been through enough and I didn't want this to finally send him over the edge.

Chris was blissfully aloof to my anxiety, or at least I think. He seemed relaxed whereas I was tense and fidgety. He seemed to have no problem getting around on his own whereas I needed to be close to him and follow him around the house like a lost puppy. He drew the line at the bathroom when he had to take a leak but still, I stood outside the door and waited for him to finish. He had just shook his head and smiled.

"Pup, seriously, calm the fuck down. You're making me nervous. Is it really going to be that bad?" Chris asked exasperatedly as he peered over at me from his dresser. I shrugged.

"No, not really. You know most of it anyway. I don't know what's wrong with me. I just get this feeling that something will happen." I admitted, ducking my head. He didn't say anything for a few seconds and then I felt the bed dip beside me. His arm circled my waist and he pulled me against him. I sighed, closing my eyes at his warmth.

We were both wolves, why was he so warm to me? Effect of the imprint maybe?

"Pup, you worry too much. And you're paranoid…like, really bad. It'll be fine. It's just going to be a few beers around a fire as old men retell stories, right?" he chuckled, squeezing my side. I chuckled.

"Yeah, I guess…You think mom will let me have a beer tonight?" I asked, hopefully as I peered up at him. He smiled and cocked an eyebrow. I sighed. "Yeah, probably not."

"Sue'll never change. I doubt she'll let you have a beer even when you turn 21." He laughed, getting up to stand in front of me. I looked up at him, way up at him and smiled.

"Yeah, you're right. That's mom." I agreed, smirking.

He grinned and pulled to me my feet until my chest was pressed against his. He still didn't have a shirt on and the thin material of mine did never to nothing in blocking his heat from radiating through me, not that I minded. I lifted my hands to stroke up his pectoral muscles, feeling them bunch beneath them. I bit my lip and watched my hands. His arms tightened around me and I looked up in time for him to capture my lips with his.

I doubt I was ever going to get used to that first contact between us, the moment our lips met and that jolting electric shock I felt every time. I moaned and melted into him, opening my mouth in offering. He took full advantage, plunging his tongue deep and caressing mine. My hands slipped up into his hair, clenching it in my fists as the kiss deepened further and I suddenly found myself on my back. I whimpered as he swirled my tongue with his and then nipped it gently. Chris took a hold of my hands, bringing them up and over my hand to pin them to the bed. I wrapped my legs around his waist and pulled, rubbing him against me. We both grunted.

"Ah, Pup, we gotta go." He whined, panting slightly. He made no move though, continuing his ministrations on my neck and jaw. It was all I could do to just nod and moan. "Damn, you're not making this easy."

"I say we skip. They won't mind." I panted, pulling him tighter into me. He moaned. We were both rock hard.

"Pup, this whole thing is for me. It'd be pretty rude if I didn't show up." He made a point, a good one but the sensations he was sending through me made me immune to his reasoning. I angled my head to nip his ear and he growled, clenching down on both my hands before he was up and off me, panting a few feet away. I whined and pouted, staring at me from my dishevelled position on the bed. "Pup, don't. Later; we need to go now."

"But I know you don't want to go! Why can't we just stay?" I sighed, pouting. It was my new secret weapon; he couldn't resist this face. He glared at me and shook his head.

"Pup, get up. I'll sex you up later. Now let's go." He ordered, grimacing with probable regret as he turned and walked out the bedroom. I flopped back on the bed again, whimpering at his parting words before shaking my head to clear it. I knew he was right; we needed to be there. _Stop being such a needy slut, Seth__. One night and now you're fucking insatiable. _"Pup, get moving!"

"I'm coming!" I shouted back, rolling my eyes. I heard him laugh.

"I hope not, those jeans are clean on today and I'd be very unhappy with you if touched yourself without permission." He called. I shivered.

"Fuck…" I whined. He just laughed. Scowling, I pulled my shoes from beside the bed (his room was dotted with my stuff now, as was his house) and slipped them on. I stomped out the room and down the stairs. I saw Chris smirking at me from beside the door, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. He looked damn sexy, though I pouted at the sight of the shirt now covering his delicious body from me.

"About time. Come on, we're already late." He commanded, reaching a hand out to me. I took it without hesitation and I saw his smile as we exited the house.

He led me to his motorbike, cocking a leg over it and settling himself before he gestured for me to climb on too. Again, I did without hesitation; these rides didn't make me nervous anymore. I guess I had even less reason to be afraid as he was a shifter now and he had super-fast reflexes. No, these rides were another type of torture now. Having both the bike _and_ Chris in between my legs, along with a vibration, sent my mind deeper into the gutter and I always got off with an aching cock. Chris laughed every single time and never offered to take care of it for me. Maybe he will when we get back home?

I held on tight until we got to the beach. He saddled up to curb and shut the bike off, letting me climb off before swinging his leg up and off as well. He set the kickstand before taking my hand and pulling it around his waist. His arm went around my shoulder. Together we walked across the beach, the small spot of the bonfire getting bigger as we neared. Paul was the first to see us and waved us over.

"Hey, you actually showed." He laughed, handing Chris a beer. Chris laughed and glanced at me, making me blush.

"We almost didn't." he replied, squeezing my shoulder. Paul smirked at me and shook his head. "Give the Pup some and he turns into a slut."

Both men laughed as I ducked my head, blushing harder. Chris pecked my temple, a silent signal to say he didn't mean it. I huffed, crossing my arms. "You're mean," was the only response I could come up with.

"Whoa, careful with the insults there, Pup. That cut deep." Chris joked, nudging my side. I tried to fight back the smile but it didn't work so I pushed him back. He laughed. "So when does all this start?"

"When everyone has finished eating. Go see Emily, she's kept a couple plates of food back for you both." Rachel ordered, inkling her head over to the food tables. Chris tensed slightly as he saw Sam with his wife and I squeezed his side.

"I'll go." I told him. He shook his head.

"Nah, it's alright. Come on." He replied, pulling me towards the tables. I bit my lip nervously, wondering if this was a good idea. Chris didn't have a very good temper at the best of times and Sam seemed to be able to bring out the worst of it every time he was near.

"Hey Em, save any food for us?" I asked as we stepped up beside them. Chris didn't say anything and he didn't look their way. Sam was staring at him whilst Emily looked between all three of us. She smiled and nodded, walking off to the side somewhere.

"Hey Seth, Chris. Everything going alright between you?" Sam asked, still looking at Chris. I smiled and squeezed Chris' hand.

"Yeah, all's good." I replied. "You and Em?"

"Good, good. Embry should be around here somewhere, Chris, if you wanted to see him." Sam informed, making Chris glance at him.

"Yeah, I'll do that now." He said, leaning over to give me a small kiss before he let go and walked off. I sighed, smiling at Sam.

"He's working through everything still." I excused. He nodded.

"Don't worry Seth, I know he hates me." Sam chuckled, dryly. I shook my head.

"No, I don't think he does, actually." I contradicted. He frowned at me.

"No?"

"No. It's more like dislike and confusion. He can't understand why you're all chummy with Josh after what he did to you three." I told him. He looked away thoughtfully.

"He did get screwed over more than Em and I, I guess."

"Just give him some time. He'll come around…I'll make sure of it." I assured my ex-alpha. He smiled and nodded just as Em returned with a heap of plates filled with food.

"Where'd Chris go?" she asked, frowning.

"He went to find Embry. Here, let me take those." I offered, grabbing the plates with ease. I grinned at her. "Thanks, Em."

With that, I went in search of Chris. It didn't take me long to find him when I had an incessant pulling in my chest that led me straight to him. He was sitting around with Paul, Rachel, Embry and Diane. When I arrived, Diane was persistently apologising for her part in phasing. I sat down next to Chris in the log and he pulled me closer. I handed him two plates.

"Seriously, it's fine. It's not your fault. It could have happened any time." Chris assured her yet again. She still looked guilty.

"Trust you to be different and phase because of a cherry of all things." Paul scoffed.

"I thought you only phased when you were angry." Diane said, confused. Embry shook his head.

"Not necessarily. Any strong emotion will do, really. Seth phased from pain and grief because of his Dad. Sure, most of us phased with anger but not everyone." He replied. "I guess it was panic for Chris here."

"Well you try having your airways close up and see if you panic." Chris replied, dryly. Everyone laughed.

"Do you think you still have the allergy now you're a wolf?" Rachel asked. He shrugged.

"I have no idea and I don't really cherish the thought of testing that theory, to be honest." He chuckled.

"Please don't." I agreed.

After everyone finished eating, the Elders called for silence and the legends were told. Everyone here apart from Chris had heard them and heard them many times before but the majestic tone to billy's voice as he spoke caught us all every time. I watched Chris the entire time; his face never really changed from open curiosity as he listened but occasionally, he'd smirk or roll his eyes at some parts. He listened intently when the legend of imprinting was being told by Old Quil. A few times, he'd look at me and smile gently or kiss my head.

"Now, there is now an exception to the imprinting. Something that's only happened twice in the history of the tribe." Old Quil continued as he eyed both Chris and I. we glanced at each other.

"You're both quite the rarity, even more so being who you are." Billy chuckled. I cocked an eyebrow. "You see, the last two double imprints have involved the alpha of the pack. Ephraim Black, Jacob's great-grandfather, my grandfather, had imprinted on a male shifter before he met my grandmother. Graeme Lahote was officially the fourth member of the last pack but had died from a fatal wound that was inflicted upon him."

I saw Paul's eyes widen as he looked at Billy. "My great-grandfather was gay?"

"I suppose, if you had to label it. Ephraim was distraught and for a while. He was unable to perform his alpha duties. They were temporarily taken up by Levi Uley, as he was beta of the pack and in his absence and despair, he met my grandmother. They had my father, Graeme, named after Ephraim's imprint. He never phased." Billy explained.

"That's so sad." Emily commented softly. Billy nodded.

"They had been the second male shifter imprint pair in history."

"Who were the first?" I asked, curiously. The elders remained silent, glancing between each other in silent conversation. We watched them confused and suspicious until Billy eventually nodded.

"Ephraim's parents…were male shifters." Old Quil's voice rang out, looking around us all as silence suffocated the circle. We all stared at him as if it was too difficult to comprehend.

"What the fuck? Ephraim was adopted?" Jacob asked, wide eyed. I rolled my eyes at my alpha.

"No, young Jacob. He wasn't." Another elder replied, looking at the both of us. "Young Ephraim was born on 12th June, son of Jediah Black and Pharoh Littlesea, Collin's great-great-grandfather until he married into the Black family."

"Wait…you can't be serious. Are you suggesting that one of them got…pregnant?" Paul asked incredulously.

Fear and dread coursed through my body and I swallowed hard. That wasn't possible, was it? I mean, men don't have babies. We didn't even have the…you know…_equipment_. There had to be a mistake. I glanced at Chris, seeing he was still staring at the elders intently. I couldn't decipher his expression for once so I couldn't get a read on what he thought about the bombshell that was just dropped on us.

"Now, from what we know, Ephraim and Graeme couldn't have children." Billy said, thoughtfully. "Ephraim had never marked him like his father did his papa and they didn't produce a child whilst together. We believe that it won't be possible without the mark so I suggest you two exercise caution whilst…together."

My eyes widened and my stomach plummeted to my feet. Chris' arm tightened around me and his face was tight. I knew what he was thinking. I was thinking it too. It was too late. He'd already marked me without actually knowing what the consequences were. Panic welled within me and Chris' arms tightened around my waist.

"Oh shit…" Jacob breathed a few feet away, covering his face with his hand before looking up at us with wide eyes. I swallowed hard. The other pack members were looking at us with sympathy.

"What Jacob?" Billy asked his son. He sighed heavily, still looking at us. I blushed deeply as Chris coughed and replied.

"I've already marked him. I did so last night. I didn't mean to. It just happened." He explained, looking down at me with many apologies swimming in his eyes. I shook my head and smiled.

"I'm not mad, Chris. I don't think." I tacked on, not sure how to feel about potentially being able to get pregnant. The idea was daunting and unnatural but my wolf purred at the idea. I wasn't about to admit that just yet.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me!" the voice of my sister screeched and I cringed. I had hoped that she wouldn't find out yet. I couldn't even look at her yet. I was sure she was shooting daggers at my wolf and I doubt that I would be able to control myself if I caught her. Instead, I glanced over at Mom, who was looking at me. She accessed me with her gaze before smiling softly with a head nod. I swallowed and smiled. "How dare you mark my brother! How dare you hurt him!"

"Easy, Leah. It didn't hurt." I assured her, getting to my feet as she stormed over to us. She growled, glaring at Chris. As I expected, a growl ripped from my throat and she looked at me, startled for a second before her glare returned.

"I don't give a shit. You're too young!" she snarled, advancing on Chris, who seemed calmed as he watched my sister.

"Too young? Leah, we're twins!" I protested, confused. "This has nothing to do with you. It's between me and Chris. I'm sure we'll talk about it later."

"Leah, I would never hurt your brother on purpose." Chris spoke up, levelling his gaze with hers. She growled.

"No, you just ruined his life!" she shouted back. I saw him flinched at her words and anger coursed through me.

"Leah, shut the fuck up! This has nothing to do with you and nothing is going to change! He has NOT ruined my life! He's made it better! How dare you say that to him." I growled, viciously and she just stared at me in shock, long with some others. I'd never raised my voice to either Leah or my mom.

"Seth, I'm just looking out for you." Leah replied, shocked.

"Well I don't need you to. I'm fine. I'm happy so just leave it the fuck alone."

"Fine!" she screamed angrily before storming off towards the trees. I shook my head and watched her go. She needed to understand that I'm not the little wimpy kid I used to be when we were younger, the one who needed her protection. I could look out for myself now and I had Chris.

"Leah will have to accept this, Seth. She'll come around. Marking is absolute. You're it for each other now." Billy called out to me and I turned to look at him. Despite my irritation with Leah, I smiled brightly and nodded.

"I know. I wouldn't want anything else." I admitted, grinning up at Chris. He smirked and pulled me closer, pecking my lips.

"We don't know much about Ephraim's parents and everything they went through. They were very private people and didn't cherish the thought of documenting their personal lives on paper for future generations. There are some, yes and we'll dig them out for you both to read. Congratulations, by the way." Sue giggled, standing to pull me into a hug, "I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks, Mom." I whispered back, smiling. She turned to Chris, who looked spooked. He always has been with Mom; she represents everything he lost at birth.

"I guess you'll be my son-in-law." She stated, excitedly. My eyes bulged and I covered my face.

"Mom…" I groaned as everyone else laughed. Chris smiled slightly and shrugged.

"Yeah, I guess."

"Come here, give me a hug." She demanded. He grimaced but moved anyway.

"Do I have to?" he groaned, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. She glared up at him.

"Yes."

"Fair enough."

All in all, Chris took everything about the pack in stride. He was comfortable with imprinting and seemed to like the fact that he was spending the rest of his life by my side, which was all I really cared about. He could hate being a wolf just as long as he didn't resent me for being one as well. But that wasn't the case and I was happier than ever before. Once their role was done, the elders went home, leaving just the pack and imprints here. Ones with children soon left when said kids began to fall asleep, though Rachel had Alex curled up in her arms as she rested back against Paul's chest between his legs. Embry and Diane were also still here with Hector.

We were about to pack up and put the fire out when a howl pierced the air. It sounded panicked and hurt. Leah. My eyes widened and I was instantly making towards the trees. She had gone out there alone. She knows better. I couldn't let her get hurt. I felt Chris right behind me and he phased easily, picking up speed towards where my sister's howl originated from. I heard Paul belt out orders to get the girls and kids back to his house before he launched himself after us. I phased after removing my jeans and tying them around my leg. My shirt would have to suffer.

_Chris, what's happening?_ I asked him, worriedly. He jumped at the new voice in his head.

_That shit is still weird…And Leah's in trouble. She's chasing some weird dude._ He replied, already a good distance away. _ Pup, stay there._

_What? No way! Leah needs me! Don't get all overprotective, dominant wolf on me, Chris. I'm coming!_ I growled, pushing myself faster.

_Do as you're told Seth. Go home. I'm fine. I've near got the fuck-_

_Leah? Leah!_ I screamed as her mind was abruptly disconnected from the pack mind. Fear coursed through me and in my panic, I pushed myself faster. _Shit, what happened? Where'd she go?_

_Easy Pup. I'm nearly there._ Chris assured me, also having pushed him faster at Leah's disappearance.

I watched his mind's eye intently as he burst through some trees into a massive clearing. Alarm bells sounded within me at the sight of two pale figures, red eyes blazing as they stood over Leah's naked, still body. A snarled was ripped from me, which was echoed by my brothers.

_Chris, don't attack. We're coming. _Jacob ordered, darting towards him from the opposite direction I was coming. _If they run, keep on them but don't engage._

_What about Leah?_ He asked, growled and snarling at the two figures now looking over at him. They crouched to attack and my heart rose to my throat.

_Chris, no!_ I shouted as they sprung towards him.

Chris growled, meeting their attack head-on and my knees almost buckled as he was grappled by the massive boulder-like leech. Chris snapped at his face, making him dart back to avoid him. The other leech made to attack from Chris' right but his eyes were sharp and he twisted just as the leech was about to sink his teeth into his flank. Chris was able to clamp his teeth down on one of his arms and with a tremendous pull, I heard the metal screech as it was ripped from the leech.

_Urgh! What the fuck? They taste disgusting! _Chris cried, disgust and revulsion coursing through him with a vengeance as he launched the limb 50 feet across the field. Some of the guys chuckled at that as he dodged and evaded attack after attack from either side of him. Shit, he was fast and his mind was focused solely on the movements of their bodies, no matter how minimal, rather than the ruckus that was the pack mind.

The armless leech made another move and Chris was launched against a tree. We heard him grunt mentally, cursing softly as he got back to his paws, charging the leech. With one arm, it couldn't really get a grip on Chris, leaving him vulnerable for him to clamp his teeth on one of his legs. Chris heaved, spinning him through the air until its back cracked against a tree, felling it. His leg detached at the force Chris used and he screamed out in pain, falling to the ground. Chris threw the limb away without a second thought, letting his instincts take over as he tore the two remaining limbs from the leech's body before decapitating his head from his torso.

_Chris! Leah!_ Jacob shouted in warning as out of Chris' peripheral, we saw the remaining leech spring at Leah's still body.

Chris' muscles bunched tightly before he sprang, catching the leech unawares as he got between him and Leah. I cried out in panic as they slammed to the ground, the leech on top. Chris kicked, launching the leech into the sky but at the last second, he grabbed onto a branch, leaving him suspended in the tree and snarling down at Chris. My wolf paced at the foot of the tree, growling as he cursed the leech out in his head for being a coward.

"You will regret what you have done." The leech spat down at Chris, unfathomable rage on his face. "You will regret standing against me!"

With that, the leech bounded through the trees, hopping from branch to branch. Chris growled and contemplated chasing after him but he remembered Leah and he shot back across the clearing, phasing out of our minds. I was minutes away and when I bounded into the clearing, I saw him crouched over her, checking her over for injuries. I phased instantly and pulled on my shorts. Tears fell from my eyes as I skidded to a halt beside the both. Chris looked at me.

"She's okay. She unconscious but she's not bleeding anywhere. Let's get her to your mom's so she can look her over." He suggested. I nodded and allowed him to pick her up into a fireman's carry. He cradled her against him, her chest pressed to his with her arms over his shoulder, covering most of her nudity, which I appreciated.

He ran a lot faster than me towards my house. He had grown even taller and I'd say he was as tall as Jacob, maybe a tiny bit shorter but definitely taller than Sam. His legs were long, longer than mine so his stride to him there faster. I was right behind him, entering the dark house only a few minutes after him. Mom was already up, fussing frantically over Leah's body whilst Chris watched on. I ran to him, my heart beating frantically as I looked up at him. He wrapped his arms around me.

"She's fine. I promise. I think she just hit her head. She'll be fine." he assured me. All I could do was nod and stare at my sister.

The rest of the pack came barging into the house, all wanting to know what was wrong with Leah but Mom shooed them out again, along with us. We all went to the kitchen and waited for mom to come in and tell us what was up. When she did, she didn't look nearly as worried as I thought she would. She was even smiling softly. I stepped out of Chris' arms and pulled her into mine.

"Mom, is everything alright?" I asked, looking down at her. She nodded.

"Yeah, Chris was right. She was just unconscious. There are no other injuries. If there were, they couldn't have been very bad if they're healed now. Leah woke up long enough to get into bed. She's asleep." she informed us and I could hear the collective sigh of relief course through the room, including from me. I grinned over at Chris, who had a small smile on his face. I watched as he was approached my Jacob, who pulled him into a hug. It startled him for a second before he returned it quickly and let go.

"I'm proud of you, Chris. Hardly even 24 hours as a wolf and you took down your first leech single-handedly. None of us got the hang of the wolf that quickly. Technically, that was only your second phase so well done. Very well done." Our alpha praised him. I smirked at the small blush that bloomed across his cheeks and he coughed awkwardly.

"Uh, thanks, I guess."

"All of you go home and get some sleep, especially you Chris. You deserve it." Mom ordered, smiling brightly at my wolf. He nodded, walking towards the front door before he stopped and turned to look at me.

"Are you staying here in your bed or coming to mine? My house, I mean." he tacked on, glancing at Sue as his blushed deepened. Everyone chuckled and gave each to her knowing looks. I looked at Mom questioningly.

She held her hands up. "You're 18 now, Seth. Do as you wish. Just call in here tomorrow to see your old mom." she smiled. I grinned and leaned down to kiss her cheek.

"I will, I promise. Thanks mom." I rushed, walking over to Chris and taking his out stretched hand.

"You too have a good nights _sleep_, won't you?" Mom stressed, cocking an eyebrow at us both with a knowing smirk. My eyes widened and I heard Chris half groan, half laugh.

"Mom!" I protested, frowning at her, horrified. She cackled, joining in with everyone's laughs as she left to bed. I shook my head after her and urged Chris out the house before she came back to torture us some more.

* * *

**And yet another chapter finished! So I've introduced some trouble, action and the possibility of mpreg. Thank you to everyone who voted! The result was obviously in favour :)**

**Please tell me what you think in a review! Can't wait to hear what Matt and the family has think say :3**

**Love  
****MrsWolfPack  
****x**


	25. Pup

**Hey, hey, my lovelies!**

**Thank you for the amazing reviews , alerts and favourites :] They mean a lot. **

**Dedicated to Matt and his amazing family. Love ya guys :D**

**There will be pictures on my Photobucket account for this chapter but not until later as I can't seem to upload them yet. Thanks **

**This chapter is quite fluffy nearer the end so I hope that Matt will be happy :P**

**Disclaimer: I don't own twilight! Unfortunately…D:**

**Without further ado…Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 24**

**Pup**

* * *

**Chris' Point of View**

Within three weeks, we saw the seasonal change from autumn to winter and in no way, shape or form, did we encounter the boulder leech again. Jacob had, justifiably, doubled up on patrols, sharing with me his memories of some flame-haired leech that was after his imprint, Bella. He mentioned something about a newborn army and the right side of his body being shattered as a result but I had my Pup in my arms at the time so I was only paying half attention.

However much attention I was paying, he seemed cautious and wary about this leech and was pulling out all the stops at protecting the Reservation. I usually patrolled with him or Paul, occasionally Embry but I didn't really know any of the other guys; it was something both Jacob and Pup wanted to change. Apparently, I was even more a part of the family now that I was a wolf; I was in on the entire secret and had acquired eight brothers in the process along with masses of sisters.

Becoming a wolf had been…interesting. Who would have thought my life would be fucked over by a cherry? It seemed a little farfetched but that was me; I had rotten luck like that. As soon as I realised what I was, I'd never felt such disgust and revulsion course through me in my life. I had become a monster, a beast designed for killing, even if my targeted were already dead. I thought that it was fate's final fucked up idea of a joke, that he had made me _this_ because of all the shit I've done in my life, as some sort of punishment or Karma coming back to bite me in the ass.

I had become even more dangerous than I already was and I wasn't about to risk the people who shoved themselves into my life. I shut myself away, believing that it was so much better for them but it was Paul who beat some sense into me. I'd never been more grateful to anyone as I had to him in that moment. He made me realise that the pack I belonged to truly was a family, which had only been cemented in my mind as I watched they interact throughout the last three weeks. Even though I didn't think myself as part of them yet, my Pup thought that it was only a matter of time before I did.

My Pup…He didn't deserve what I had done to him. I had made him suffer so much that I felt sick to my stomach and I knew that nothing I could do would make it up to him, despite the fact that my Pup seemed to be the more forgiving person on the planet and had said that there was nothing whatsoever to forgive. What a load of bullshit. I had reduced him to a whining, panting mess at my back door, almost rabid in his desperation for me and my touch. Nothing to forgive? No, _too much_ to forgive. I don't deserve his forgiveness.

I had demanded Paul show me what had happened whilst I was being a coward and what I found sent guilt and disgust coursing through me. Paul had been there with Pup when he slowly lost the sense of his mind and the health of his body. He watched as he refused to eat, to drink, even sleep without me because somehow he knew that I wasn't either. Paul, bless him, did his best to help but Pup would have none of it. He just wasn't interested whilst I was holed up in my house. He wanted to be with me instead.

Now I couldn't stand to be away from him. It was like I needed him to breathe. It was weird to feel that way, to depend on someone so exclusively. I had tried to avoid doing such a thing my entire life, having been under the preconception that everyone I cared about or got close to just left and I would be left crushed. Something about my Pup told me differently, and it was soon explained to me.

Imprinting.

I had to say that it seemed too good to be true and slightly too romantic and sweet for my tastes. To have someone as your preconceived soul-mate, someone who was made for you was a little unbelievable but I was beginning to believe. Pup was everything that I wasn't; it was like he was the puzzle piece to my personality. We fit but we were so different. It's funny; the term 'Opposites attract' came to mind, as clichéd as it sounded.

Pup was sunny, happy-go-lucky and the most trusting guys I'd ever met. Me, I was broody, glum and hesitant with whom I gave my trust to. It was refreshing to see him every day after being so deep within my own dark mind. He made me smile more than I ever have and he was completely hung up on me. I'd turn to look at him and he would be staring at me with the most dazed expression, like he was lost in memories…or fantasies.

Fuck, I've seen those fantasies. My Pup's mind was never closed to me when we were phased together. I didn't know whether that was because he was my imprint or whether he was just open-minded and lacked the control to close himself off. I knew that the guys found it hard to glimpse any of my thoughts unless I was speaking with them. My memories were my own; I had made sure of that after my mental slip that first phase.

But Pup's fantasies, they made me ache for him and after that first time, he made me absolutely delirious for him. I'd never been one to give into my desire and need but with him, it was impossible. He spent more nights with me at my house than he did at home and fuck if he didn't make it hard for me to resist. He makes himself right at home and unfortunately, or fortunately however way you look at it, meant a boxer-brief clad Pup walking around my house every morning and night. Fucking torture or it probably would have been if he hadn't been just as eager for me to take him constantly over any surface we could reach.

We'd been cautious though. We've had to be; I wasn't ready to be a father…

That concept right there was what scared me the most about this wolf shit. The fact that Pup could become pregnant by me had me scared shitless. He was freaked out at first, worried about the details like how it worked and what happened at the birth and such like. He was scared of what it meant for him and how his body would change. He seemed to have calmed down about it now though, maybe even slightly accepting of it. I knew he had read what little documents there was on shifter pregnancy which were written my Ephraim's parents. I think whatever he found had reassured him.

I wouldn't know; I hadn't read them and didn't want to.

Seth wouldn't become pregnant. I would make sure of it.

I didn't want him going through it, not matter what happened during the whole process. I could risk him like that. His pregnancy would be even scarier than my mother's; at least thousands, millions of women had given birth before her. Experienced midwives were by her side, despite her death, giving her better chances. Seth, he wouldn't have that expertise. He wouldn't have the reassurance of the many who gave birth before him. Just one. We know of just one, Pharoh Black.

The fact that I couldn't be sure my Pup would survive put me off the whole idea, had made it taboo in my mind. I was _not_ going to happen.

_You know he would be fine, Chris. You shouldn't worry so much. _Paul advised, hearing my thoughts. He seemed to be the only one who could; I guess we had similar minds.

_Shut up, Paul. Neither of us knows that and I can't risk him. I won't. _ I replied, adamantly. He just didn't understand.

_No, I guess I don't but from what I've heard from Seth's mind, he kinda likes the idea._ Paul informed me. I sighed heavy.

_Of course he does._ I agreed, dryly.

_Would you deny him? If he wanted it? _Paul asked, sceptically.

_I would certainly hold out for as long as I could._ I replied, not entirely sure whether I could deny him or not if he straight out asked me to get him pregnant. Paul snorted.

_You won't hold out for long then. One look at his pout and you're a goner_. He laughed, teasingly but I wasn't in the mood for it. I growled at him. He sighed. _Seth won't be like your mom, Chris. That was an accident and rare these days. _

_You say that like Seth's labour would be anything like my mother's was. It wouldn't be._

_Maybe, maybe not. We don't know that._

_That's my point._ I growled, frustrated. Paul sighed. _We know nothing about any of this. I won't go into it blindly._

_Fine, okay, but think about it. Seth seems quite excited so I wouldn't put it past him in a __few years from now for him to want a kid._ Paul told me. I screwed my eyes shut and growled, knowing that he was potentially right.

_Yeah well, I'm praying that he never does. _I replied. _Can we just focus on patrol now? I want to go home and sleep._

_Sure._ He sighed, increasing his pace as he patrolled the east and south borders of La Push. I took the north. We'd been patrolling for the last four hours. I'd left Pup in my bed, snuggled up to my pillow and my side of the bed where my warmth still lingered, at eleven. It was now three in the morning and I just wanted to go back home and sleep with my mate. _You and me both, Brother, you and me both._

_Can you stay out my head for one minute? _ I snapped, not used to having my thoughts displayed for anyone. He chuckled.

_Why? It annoys you. _He grinned at me through our minds and I rolled my eyes.

_It's the little brother who is supposed to be annoying, not the big one._ I told him, matter-of-factly.

_Normally, yeah, but what about us is ever normal? _He quipped, laughing. I sighed.

_Not a lot these days._ I agreed.

_So hey, what have you decided to do about your tattoo?_ He asked suddenly, changing the topic. Thank God for small miracles.

Being part of the pack, the pack tattoo obviously came with it. Problem with that was the fact that traditionally, it should go on the wolf's right upper arm. I couldn't do that because I already had a tattoo, and a large one. Jacob didn't know how to get around it and some of the elders were adamant that it will be done there as it is a tradition. No one could figure out how it could be done. Embry had suggested getting it incorporated into my existing tattoo but I would have to figure it out.

_I dunno. I hadn't thought about it much. _I admitted, and I hadn't. Too busy with my Pup.

_Have you considered laser treatment? _ He suggested, thoughtfully.

_Are you fucking kidding me? Why would I laser my tattoo off?_ I shouted, outraged. He rolled his eyes.

_Not the whole thing, dipshit. Just a circle on your arm so that the tattoo could be there like the elders want. I mean, sure, it might hurt during the procedure and shit. To be honest, I don't know how it works but you're a wolf, you heal fast and we don't get scars. The skin will heal smoothly, allowing it to be tattooed again. _Paul explained. I hesitated, thinking over what he'd said. He had a point. It could work. There was only one problem.

_Who would do it though? The pack is a secret. I can't exactly waltz into a tattoo parlour and have the treatment whilst I heal extraordinarily fast in front of the tattooist._

_Easy, let me do it ._He replied, simply. I frowned mentally.

_Right…Do be serious. You're not a tattooist nor are you qualified for laser treatment. _

_Just because I don't do it for a living, doesn't mean I can't draw a decent tattoo. My dad used to be one and he had a laser machine. I still have them. Sue could be there, I'm sure she knows._ He informed me. Still, I hesitated. This was my _tattoo_ he was talking about. What if he fucked it up? _Please, your lack of faith in me stings._

_Get over it, you pansy. I'll only go through with this if Sue's there. I may trust you with my life but my tattoo, not so much. _

_That makes no sense but sure, of course she'll be there. _He assured me, triumphant with successfully convincing me he was the man for the job. I still had my doubts.

It was then that my nose began to burn with the stench of a familiar scent. A growl ripped through me as I threw myself into a north east direction, alerting Paul through the pack mind. He echoed my growl, charging up from the south west as he howled into the dark, silent night. It was only a few seconds later that Jacob's mind phased in, followed by several others enquiring what the problem was. I was so focused on the leech that I couldn't even explain.

_Leech; Chris caught the scent. He's en-route but I'm coming from the other side of the Res. How is closest?_ Paul asked, scanning through the minds.

I didn't hear any reply as I ploughed through the dense forest, leaping over roots and felled trees as my mind focused intently on the leech. I'd never felt such an urge to kill in my life. It sickened me for a second but I remembered that this was the leech who had attacked Leah, who had threatened us and in turn, my Pup. Ire surged through me as I pushed my feet faster. Red tinged my vision as I thought of the fucker getting anywhere near my Pup. Mine; I'd be dead before they set foot even a 100 feet near him.

I was vaguely aware of voices calling out to me and Jacob's spouting out orders to the others. A light grey wolf leaped to my right flank, making me growl at the sharp, sudden movement until I realised it was Leah. She'd caught up. Briefly, I focused on the others. Jacob was only half a mile behind the two of us.

_I'm right here with you, Chris. Let's take him down._ Leah snarled, increasing her pace, which I matched easily. We launched through a thick gathering of bushes and shrubs.

The fucking weird thing was we kept glimpsing flashes of white and then with a flash, it would disappear. Leah was just as confused as I was so I knew that this was something out of the ordinary. A large branch was shoved into my side, one that had been tens of feet away, and it sent me sprawling across the forest ground. I picked myself up instantly, picking up my previous pace to keep up with Leah. A flash of white on my left distracted me as a boulder was launched at me from my right. I dodged it barely.

The scent trail was erratic. It didn't follow a single line, more like dotting about. Leah had seen nothing like and the unease coming from Jacob was enough to send my mind into a wary haze. The leech changed course, well I think it did. He was disappearing so fast that we could hardly keep up. The direction it was going, though…I wasn't at all comfortable with and I felt a feral growl rip from my throat.

_Shit, it's heading towards your house, Chris! _Collin shouted, changing his course accordingly as well. He was closer now but it didn't take long for me to surpass him.

I only vaguely heard him. Only one thought was repeating itself through my mind. _My Pup._ A vicious snarl vibrated through me and I left Leah in my wake as I forced my legs faster. I heard a couple of gasps behind me, presumably Jacob and Leah as he had caught up just as I sped off. Smug pride was coming from Paul and Embry but I couldn't concentrate on them. I needed to get to my Pup.

_Holy shit! Leech Fucker has a friend. South border! _Brady warned us and Jacob growled in frustration.

_The three of you closest – Embry, Sam and Brady, go!_ He ordered, continuing his pursuit after me.

Two more flashes of white, either side of me divided my attention and I growled in fear and panic. I reached my back yard just as the boulder leech was about to jump towards my second storey bedroom window, moving so fast that I almost didn't see him leap towards the bedroom. The bedroom window my Pup was behind. I snarled and leaped into the air just as the leech sprang. I wrapped my jaws around his midsection, sideswiping him out of the air until we rolled, snarling and clawing at each other across the grass. He ended up pinning me to the ground but I got my back paws beneath him, launching him into a tree.

I shot to my feet just as a granite fist punched my flank, making me stagger and whimper until I could collect my bearings and turn on the second leech. I briefly heard Embry's mental cry of pride and triumph as he tore the south boarder leech's head from his shoulders. Boulder leech, as if sensing his 'comrade's demise, gave a roar of rage, spittle venom spraying everywhere as he launched himself back up into the trees like the coward he was, somehow raining thick branches and boulders at us through the treeline, as if there were hundreds of leeches hidden in the shadows to throw them, though we sensed no others.

It was at that point where Jacob and Leah stormed into the yard, catching the last leech unawares and it wasn't fast enough to dodge Jacob's gaping jaws as they snapped and locked around his head, yanking forcefully until the metallic screech filled the darkness.

I phased instantly, my eyes fixed on my bedroom window. I didn't even use the back door; I launched myself into the nearby tree and threw myself through the open window. The relief I felt when I saw my Pup, fast asleep still despite the ruckus outside, curled up in my bed with my pillow pressed against his face. An embarrassing purr ignited within my chest as I approached him, the sound appearing to sooth him into a deeper sleep with every step that I neared.

I pulled back the covers from behind my Pup and slid underneath until my entire front was pressed tightly to his back. I moaned as my engorged, throbbing member settled itself in the crack of his ass. I sighed in relief and contentment as my arms slipped around his waist, branding him to me and giving him no means of escape. He moaned and turned his head slightly towards me, sensing that I was back. A small smile spread across his lips as he snuggled back, impossibly closer to me. His breathing evened out again as he fell back asleep and I smiled, burying my face into his neck and inhaling. Calm and peace washed over me and my eyes closed.

* * *

The morning came entirely too early and I almost groaned as the early morning sun filtered through a small crack in the bedroom curtains until I realised that Seth was still sleeping and I didn't want to wake him just yet. My head turned to watch him breathe as he laid against my chest, an arm thrown over my waist whilst the other curled around my back, holding me to him. My nose buried in his tussled hair and I inhaled deeply, biting back a moan. He smelled fucking awesome, so sweet and mouth-watering.

He sighed in his sleep and nuzzled his cheek into my pectoral muscle. His nose brushed against my nipple and I shivered, closing my eyes. Would it be wrong of me to wake him up so I could fuck him in exhaustion again? My super ego assured me that it certainly was. Fuck… Shaking away my desire and need for the pup splayed all over me, I gently manoeuvred him so that he lay on his back. He moaned in protest, reaching for me as I pulled away but I stroked his cheek, shushing him. I whispered to go back to sleep and in the next second, he was out, hugging my pillow to his chest again.

I chuckled and smiled fondly down at my pup before reaching for a pair of boxer-briefs and pulling them on. Sue or a couple of the guys had been known to just walk into my house unannounced so I didn't think it would be wise that I walk around naked, no matter how much Seth wanted me to and enjoyed it. I left my Pup snoring away in bed and went to the kitchen, starting on breakfast as my stomach growled several times since waking.

I cooked a feast for him, deciding not to wake him to come down and eat as I set everything up on a large tray. He deserved breakfast in bed today. I poured two glasses of juice and put them on the tray as well before picking it up. Seth was still sleeping when I entered the bedroom again and I shook my head. He was being so lazy. He uttered my name a couple of times as I manoeuvred the breakfast tray on the floor next to the bed and moved around the bedroom to retrieve something.

"What you doing?" he mumbled in my pillow. I simply smiled and remained silent, walking over to the bed. I lay beside him, above the covers. I pulled on his shoulder so that he would lie on his back and he followed me easily. I hovered over him until his eyes opened and I smiled softly, stroking his cheek.

He returned my smile and lifted a hand up to cup the back of my neck. He pulled me down gently and I pressed my lips to his, making him moan. I smiled against him, licking the seam of his lips. His mouth opened obediently and I allowed him to explore my mouth for a few seconds before I took control. He sighed contently and wrapped his arms around my shoulders. He tried to pull me closer but I made a noise of protest and pulled away from him. He pouted and whimpered with his own objects and I rolled my eyes, pecking his pout before I sat up.

"You know you shouldn't tease, right?" he huffed, glaring up at me. I smirked.

"It's not teasing if you plan to follow through." I quipped, reaching down beside the bed. His eyes widened and sparkled as I revealed the breakfast tray. A smile spread across my face as his stomach growled and he blushed deeply. I chuckled. "I guess you're hungry. Here, sit up."

He complied immediately, his eyes still on the food and I laughed. I placed the tray on his lap and he moaned, looking at the feast. A huge stack of pancakes, bacon, sausage, mushrooms and French toast. There was a couple of omelettes and about a dozen slices of toast, buttered and some jammed. I grinned in response to his, pleased I'd made him happy.

"This looks freaking amazing. Thank you so much!" he gushed, picking up a sausage and biting it in half. My eyes darkened and I watched his plump lips wrap around it and he blushed as he caught my expression. "None of that, I'm eating."

I cocked an eyebrow at him at his demand but obliged him this once. I picked up a slice of toast and bit into it as I watched him enjoy his breakfast. He'd release a moan or two here and there, heightening my desire for him but I kept myself in check. When he saw that I was only eating toast, he offered me a few pancakes but I shook my head. He looked ravenous.

"You're a wolf. You should be just as hungry as me. Unless you had something whilst you were cooking all of this." He added, gesturing to the tray. I shook my head.

"I'd much rather watch you." I replied. He rolled his eyes.

"Eat some pancakes. It'll make me feel better." He commanded yet again. I gave him a look and he blushed, adding, "Please?"

"Fine, but only one. This is your breakfast." I agreed, ripping a piece from the pancake and eating it. He smiled happily and went back to eating, taking sips of his juice between every few bites.

We sat in silence as he finished and then he leaned back against the pillows, patting his stomach with a satisfied grin on his face. I chuckled at him and took the tray, setting it down on the bedside table. Then I manoeuvred so that I was sat next to him against the headboard. He shuffled closer, nuzzling into my warmth. I hugged him for a few minutes before I silently reached back over to the bedside, picking up a couple of boxes.

Pup's eyes widened again and he blushed as he saw what I was holding. I grinned and placed them on his lap before cupping his cheek to turn his face to meet mine. I kissed his lazily, letting my tongue caress the side of his mouth and he moaned. I nibbled his lip and I felt his cock twitch against my forearm as I gripped his hip tightly with my hand. I sighed heavily and swallowed, resting my head against his after I pulled away. He was breathless, trembling slightly.

"Happy Birthday, Pup." I breathed, stroking his cheek with my thumb. His eyes closed and he beamed, showing his glistening teeth. He chuckled softly and leaned in to kiss me again.

"Thank you." He sighed, opening his eyes to look at me. "You didn't have to get me anything though. I have everything I want."

"Maybe, maybe not. I wanted to so no belly aching. Just open them." I ordered, picking up one of the boxes and gently pushing it to his chest. He sighed but nodded begrudgingly, which contrasted with the wide grin of excitement on his face.

I watched and chuckled softly as he tore through the paper and threw the lid of the box halfway across the room in his enthusiasm. He blushed as I laughed loudly. He gasped as he pulled a brand new black leather jacket from the box. It was real leather and cost a bomb but it was worth it. Paul and I had fun trying to find out that would fit across his shoulders but Paul had a similar shoulder width to Seth, maybe slightly broader so he was a great help.

"I know that you were disappointed when you tried mine on and it didn't fit so I figured you'd like one of your own." I explained as he pulled it out the box. "I had to get another one as well, what with everything that's happened."

"Oh my God, I love it. Thank you, thank you, thank you!" he shouted, launching himself across the bed to throw his arms around my shoulders. I laughed and pulled him close, pecking his lips as we pulled back. He scrambled off the bed, swiftly pushing his arms through the sleeves before zipping it up.

Seeing Seth in leather made my cock twitch but I tried to focus on how well it fit, rather than how he sexy he looked. He grinned at me.

"Perfect fit. How did you know?" he asked, amazed. I shrugged.

"Paul. He's has similar shoulders as you. We figured if it was a little tighter on him but still fit then it would fit you perfectly." I explained. He nodded.

"It's great. Thank you."

I laughed. "Yeah, you've said that already. Come on over here and open these two." I encouraged, poking the other two boxes still sat on the bed. He beamed and rushed over like a little kid.

"What are they?"

"Open them." I laughed.

He tore into them in the same manner as he had the first one. I loved seeing the excitement on his face and I loved that I had caused it. This present was just a couple of small things that I saw him looking at in a music store the other week and when he saw what they were, he grinned. There were a couple of CDs, Metallica and Nirvana. He seemed to gush over them, thanking me obscenely but I shrugged him off.

"How did you know I wanted these?" he asked in amazement.

I snorted. "I pay attention, Seth, even more so to you. I know when you want something. You were eyeing them both the other week." I explained, smiling. He blushed and thanked me again. I just shook my head.

The box he reached for next had me holding my breath in anticipation. I bit my lips, rubbing my sweaty palms together as I tried to get a hold of my hammering heart. Seth glanced at me as if I had two heads, glancing down at my hands briefly before a look of doubt flashed across his face. I caught his eye and grinned, silently assuring him that what was in the box was something good and special.

It was the main present I'd wanted to get him, though it was the last one I had picked out. Call me romantic and I'd have to rip you a new one but I knew that Seth would think about it like that once I explained them to him. To be perfectly honest, I may have had an ulterior motive in buying them but I don't think he would care about that.

I watched him critically as he lifted the lid from the small box, flicking away the tissue paper. His eyes widened and I swallowed hard, hoping that that reaction was positive. My doubts heightened as tears flooded his eyes and one escaped, rolling down his cheek. Before I could wipe it away, he beat me to it swiftly, reaching into the box for what lie inside. Holding it in the palm of his hand, he bit his lip and stroked the weaving. The look of awe slowly creeping across his face made me relax slightly. You didn't look like that if you hated a present did you? I didn't think so.

"Chris...this..." he trailed off, biting his lip like he didn't know what to say. Panic coursed through me when his tears quickened.

"Shit, Seth, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry. You hate them. I should have known, or something. I'm sorry. We can take them back if you want and get something else. I wouldn't mind. Just please stop crying, I'm so sorry." I blurted out, reaching towards him and pulling his head to my chest. He sniffled, clenching his fist around the woven leather still in his hand. "Please Seth, I'm so-"

"Shut up." he laughed, cutting me off as he pulled back and threw his arms around, knocking me back on the bed. I let out an 'oomph' as he landed on me and was thoroughly confused by the beaming grin he had on his face, as well as the faster tears falling down from his eyes. Then my surprise and shock went off the charts as he plastered my face with kisses, even going as far as to _lick_ me. My arms instinctively wrapped around his waist and pulled him closer to me as he crashed his lips to mine.

My whole body relaxed at his kiss. It was like I could feel everything he wanted me to through that kiss and I made sure that he felt my level of devotion and, although I hadn't admitted it to him yet, my love. He gasped and pulled away from me with wide eyes, searching mine. I made a conscious effort not to put my guard up, as I had done on so many other occasions when someone tried to scrutinise me through my eyes. His eyes smouldered and he pressed his lips to mine softer, tenderer. I stroked up and down his back before he pulled back.

"I love you too." he sighed, affectionately. I blushed as he called me out on my feelings towards the kiss. I knew that I couldn't say it back to him yet but a part of me was glad that he could know somehow, that he felt it like I'd wanted him to. "They're beautiful. Who is the other for?"  
"Like you have to ask...I figured we could wear them and be reminded of each other when we see them..." I murmured, trailing off embarrassed. He giggled and kissed me again.

"Chris...of course I'll wear it! That's so sweet. You do know what these bracelets mean, right?" he asked, searching my face. I frowned and shrugged.

"I don't know...I saw them, liked them and bought them. They, uh, remind me of our wolves, you know? I'm black and white and you're tanned. I thought it was a good representation of us both." I explained, blushing madly. He grinned.

"You're such a softy...but they do mean something. When the elders see us wearing them, they'll be grinning and so will the guys. My sister will probably try and act angry but she won't be and Mom, well, she'll probably cry or something." he informed me. I frowned confused.

"Why so?"

"Chris, in our tribe, in the Pack, these are promise bracelets. Imprinted couples give them to each other after the imprint is consummated. It...It means they're sort of engaged." he said, hesitantly. My eyes widened and I locked my gaze with his. I hadn't known that... His face fell slightly at my expression, whatever it was like and he swallowed, dropping his gaze. "I guess you didn't know that...Chris, we don't have to wear them if you're not comfortable with what they mean. I don't want to force you to do anything..."

"No, no we'll wear them. I don't mind." I replied hastily. He looked up with wide eyes and smiled.

"Really?"

"Yeah...it couldn't hurt, right? I marked you so I guess this is it for us, me and you. You can't be with anyone else, not that I'd give you a choice or chance. You're mine so…we can wear them, if you want to." I mused. He beamed and kissed me passionately. I chuckled against his mouth and then pulled away, reaching for the bracelets in his hand. "Here, let me put it on."

He beamed and shifted excitedly, offering me his left wrist. I smiled at his giddiness and wrapped the bracelet around his wrist, pride growing inside of me after I hooked it closed and saw it there, sitting against his skin. He was peering down at it as well and seemed equally as proud. We both looked up at the same time and met each other halfway for a kiss. He pulled back and reached for my left wrist, fastening the bracelet in place before tugging it to hover next to his.

He giggled. "We match..." he sighed, happily. I grinned at him.

"That we do." I agreed, chuckling.

"I love you." he whispered, gazing at me. I smiled.

"I know," was still all I could bring myself to say whenever he told me he loved me. He smiled and kissed me.

"What about when we phase? I don't want to have to take it off all the time, not ever." he worried, frowning at his wrist.

"It's a flexible, slightly stretchy leather so it can withstand the explosion of the phase. Trust me; I actually bought three and used one as a test dummy to see if it would break. It didn't and the spare is in my underwear drawer." I told him, laughing. He joined in, placated by my words.

"They really are amazing. The best present ever." he gushed, tracing the weave of his tan leather strand. I smiled teasingly.

"What, better than the jacket and CDs?" I asked, jokingly. He rolled his eyes.

"Yes, obviously. Don't get me wrong; I love them but this...this is perfect." he sighed.

"I'm glad you approve." I chuckled. "What did you want to do today? It is your birthday after all."

He smiled. "Would it be wrong of me to say that I want to lock all the doors and windows, tape a sign to the front door saying 'No visitors today' and then just lay in bed with you all day?" he asked, innocently, making me bellow with laughter. He giggled and blushed.

"I don't think your mom or Leah will be happy about that. I'm sure they'd want to see you but if I had my way, yeah, we could totally do _that_," I growled nearer the end, pouncing on him until his back was against the mattress and my teeth were nibbling at his neck. Her moaned and tilted his head, giving me greater access and the submissive move made me growl again.

My lips crashed to his and he grunted in surprise before opening his mouth for me. I explored it, swirling his tongue with mine before kissing him breathless again. He panted into my mouth, both of us needing to pull away but enjoying the kiss too much to be able to. Eventually, my lungs began to burn and I snapped my head away, gasping for air as I buried my face into his neck. His heart hammered in his chest; I could feel it against mine as I held him close.

We laid there for God knows how long. I couldn't get enough of his scent and he seemed as content as I was. I watched him silently as he toyed with his bracelet, a small smile on his lips all the while.

* * *

**Aw, hope you guys liked it. Can't wait to know what you thought Matt, Seth :)**

**Remember to come back and check out the pictures later! **

**Please review!**

**Love  
****MrsWolfPack  
****x**


	26. Fuck no!

**Hey, hey, my Lovelies!  
Thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter! It means a lot!  
Dedicated to Matt and his beautiful family. I hope you're feeling okay, Mister :)**

**This is a replaced chapter. In this chapter, it's Leah's birthday as well, considering they are twins :) Forgot that major detail :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own twilight! Unfortunately...D:**

**Without further ado...Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 25**

**Fuck no!**

* * *

**Chris' Point of View**

Leah and Sue showed up not long after we both climbed out the shower around 11. I knew it was only a matter of time, since Seth hadn't slept at home last night and it was his birthday. I heard Leah shout up the stairs to take our time, that Sue was about to make herself at home in my kitchen and make us dinner. I don't think Seth even heard them enter the house. He seemed out of it cuddled up to my chest under the warmth of the water flow. I'd taken my time with him, washed every inch of him until he was putting in my hands and he knew how much I loved him through my touch. We dried and dressed lazily. He didn't stray from my side for too long, following me in and out of the walk in closet as I got us something to wear. He did dress himself though, stating he wasn't completely useless and dependant on me.

I knew he had been like my shadow since he imprinted on me but ever since I phased, he's been like one with me, the same person. It was rare that he wasn't with me wherever I went. He was submissive to me, though I didn't take it too far. He looked to me to protect him, I got that but that didn't give me an excuse to be a jackass and start controlling his life. He was his own person, after all. I wasn't about to tell him who he could and couldn't be around, despite the intense jealousy that coursed through me when he was touching the other wolves.

When we got to the kitchen, Sue beamed and engulfed us both into a massive hug, wishing Seth a happy birthday. I glanced towards the kitchen area, seeing she was cooking something but she shooed me away when I tried to see what it was. I offered my help but she shook her head, saying the girls would be here soon anyway. At that I looked at her strangely, wondering what she had meant. She smiled.

"Everyone is coming over here to eat a birthday lunch with Seth and Leah. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to overstep or anything. I know that this is your house and that you're a private guy but where else were we going to eat with you guys holing yourself up in here every day? You hardly come out." She scolded, tapping my shoulder with a wooden spoon. I had to admit, I felt completely and utterly chastised.

"Hey, it's fine, I guess. You're right, we lock ourselves in here. It's not fair to you or Leah."

"Hey now, I'm only teasing. You guys have not long double imprinted. It's understandable." She dismissed. I nodded.

"When you say everyone, you mean..?"

"Everyone. The pack, elders, imprints." She answered, biting her lip nervously. Suddenly, she was in tune with my thoughts.

My jaw clenched and I closed my eyes as I figured out what she was saying. Elders…Josh would be in my house again, along with his eldest son. Embry was fine; I wouldn't call him brother yet but he'd become a somewhat friend. I'd have no problem with him here but those two… This was going to be a very long day. I felt a warm hand on my upper arm and I turned my head, opening my eyes to look at Seth's concerned face.

"You okay? I can feel your anger from the living room." He stated, glancing at Sue, who was blushing and looked just about ready to apologise. I shook my head at her briefly and smiled down at Seth.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just keep an eye on me today, okay? Josh and Sam are going to be here." I informed him, unable to keep the bite from my voice when I said _their_ names. His eyes widened slightly and he nodded, biting his lip. "I'll be fine. Just stay close"

"Always." He whispered, leaning up to kiss my cheek. His left hand was resting on my chest and that when I heard the gasp. My eyes snapped over to Sue, seeing her eyes wide and her hand over her mouth as she gazed at Seth's wrist. Her eyes then shot to my own left wrist and she gasped again, capturing Seth's attention as well. "Mom? What's wrong?"

"What's that?" she almost shouted, still looking between our wrists. Seth frowned and followed her gaze just as Leah came into the room, wondering what all the fuss was about. She peered between her mom and brother before she followed her mom's gaze as well, growling (but slightly smiling) when she saw the bracelets.

Seth blushed and glanced up at me. I smiled. "These things? Seth's birthday presents, amongst a jacket and CDs." I explained, proudly. Seth grinned. I watched as tears filled Sue's eyes and she engulfed us both into another hug.

"Oh my God, do you know what they mean?" she asked, shocked and proud. I nodded, smiling at Seth.

"Yeah, Mom, I explained them when I saw what they were. Of course, he had no clue but he seemed okay with it all." Seth replied to his mother, grinning up at me. I smiled.

"My boy is engaged." She gasped, letting the tears fall. I thought she was being marginally over-dramatic but I wasn't about to voice that opinion. I glanced at Leah, who was trying to glare at me. Her failed anger made me roll my eyes.

"Come off it, Leah. I know you're happy. Scrap the weak, pissy glare and give your brother a hug." I ordered with a teasing tone to my voice. She 'tried' to glare harder before she rolled her eyes and smiled brightly, pulling Seth from my arms into hers.

"I'm happy for you, Little Brother. The guys will tease but I'll kick their asses for you." She promised with an evil glint in her eyes. Seth and I laughed whilst Sue gave her a reproachful look. "Happy Birthday, by the way."

"Thanks, Lee." He murmured, hugging her tightly again. "Yeah, happy birthday too. Can't believe we're nineteen."

"I feel old." she sighed. Both Seth and I rolled our eyes.

"You're not old." Seth scolded her. She shrugged.

Sue went back to the kitchen to finish off her cooking whilst Leah and Seth lounged around the living room, watching Family Guy reruns. I was setting the table for Sue before I went to join them when a thought occurred to me. Seth didn't know yet. I finished the table before heading to the living room. Seth was in the recliner and I walked up behind him, stroking my fingers through his hair. He moaned slightly and leaned his head back so that he could look up at me. I smiled.

"Come with me a sec?" I asked. He nodded instantly and hopped to his feet. Leah watched us curiously as I led him to the stairs to my room. He followed without question. He sat down on the bed as I closed the door and then I joined him. "I have to tell you something."

"What? Is something wrong?" he asked, frowning in worry and concern.

"Kind of. Don't worry, I'm fine. We're fine but I thought you should know that the leech came back last night while you were sleeping. He brought a few friends with him."

"What? Why wasn't I informed last night? I could have helped!" he protested, frowning now in anger. I grabbed his hand and kissed it. He calmed slightly. "Why didn't you come get me?"  
"Because you were asleep. I patrolled last night, remember? Paul and I handled it, Leah was there too. He got a little too close to home but we stopped him. He got away though, which pissed me off." I growled, scowling at the memory of him jumping away from us using the trees. "Please don't be mad. I didn't want to disturb you. You had been kinda tired yesterday and you deserved your sleep."

"I guess I can't be angry at you when you say that but promise you'll come get me next time. I'm a protector just like you are and I deserved to know that as well. " He implored. I sighed; I didn't want to put him in any danger but he was a protector too. His job was the same as mine and I wasn't about to prevent him from doing it just because I was being an overprotective fool. I smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, I promise." I replied, stroking his cheek. He smiled.

"Okay, well come on, we should head back down there before they get any weird ideas of what we're doing up here." He laughed, grabbing my hand as he led me towards the door. I laughed and shook my head; I wouldn't have put it past Paul or Quil, if either of them had even arrived yet.

Leah glanced at us from the recliner as we came back downstairs, a small smile on her lips as she looked back at the TV. I sat on the couch with my Pup cuddled up into my side, his head on my shoulder as I wrapped my arms around him. Paul and Rach were the first of the pack to arrive, along with Alex, of course. He toddled over to me, wobbly on his feet with his arms out wide. I chuckled and Seth let me up so I could catch him and bring him up in my arms tightly.

"Hey, Buddy. Did Mommy dress you this morning?" I asked, glancing down at his green t-shirt. Sure, green wasn't bad but the massive yellow smiley face right in the middle of it was hideous. Paul would have never dressed him in anything like this, nor would he have put _beige_ pants on him with brown sandals. Rachel caught my eye and she glared, knowing what I was thinking.

"_Yes_, I did. What's the problem?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow. Paul smirked at me.

"You should have learned by now that you don't insult her dress sense for Al." he told me, walking passed me to the kitchen. He paused next to me, leaning in so that only I could hear. "Though you're damn right. The shirt is hideous."

I laughed loudly, curbing it slightly into a cough as Rachel glared harder at me with her hands on her hips. I smiled at her before turning to sit back on the couch with Alex in my lap.

"Happy birthday, by the way guys." Rachel called on her way to the kitchen. Both Seth and Leah shouted out their thanks in return.

The rest of the pack soon came waltzing in, marvelling at the fact that they were actually stepping foot in my house. They've only been in it once before, that first night I came here, with an exception of one or two. Embry walked up to me and shook my hand, as was customary with us right now, before giving Seth a hug. Leah wouldn't be caught dead giving these guys a hug so he simply gave her a nod. The others shouted out greetings and happy birthdays to Seth and Leah as they flopped down anywhere they could fit to watch the TV.

Sam hung back nearer the living room doorway, looking awkward and out of place. I tried to ignore him but his eyes were trained on me. If I hadn't have known better, I might have believed the look of remorse and longing on his face as he stared at me. Now Josh, he was much easier to ignore. I just pretend he's what he has always been in my life – not there. He sat with the Elders across the room, looking at me much like Sam was. Every so often, Seth would squeeze my hand or my thigh, as if he thought their presence was bothering but apart from Sam's staring, it actually wasn't. I wasn't sure whether this was a step in the right direction or what but it was what it was.

Sue called us in for lunch not half an hour later and for once, my massive dining table was about to be used. It was actually going to be used at full capacity, seating everyone comfortably.

"What possessed you to buy this thing?" Diane asked, staring at the table in awe. I shrugged, chuckling softly.

"Don't know. It came with the house so I guess I didn't buy it. Comes in handy though, I suppose." I replied, taking a seat at one of the heads of table at both Sue and Billy's insistence.

"We could do with this table at Emily's house." Kim sighed, actually looking privileged to be taking a seat at an actual table. I could only imagine how much room my pack brothers take up. The poor girls probably have to stand and eat or sit on their wolf's lap.

Seth took the seat to my right, holding my hand on the table. His leg was also hooked around mine. It was like we had to be constantly touching. His touch calmed me, which right now, was a must.

Sam had sat Emily and himself on my left with Josh next to her. Jacob smiled at me apologetically from down the table before shooting Sam a pissed off look. He didn't see it though; he was too busy glancing at me. Rachel and Paul were sat next to Seth so at least I didn't necessarily have to look at that side of the table to get conversation during dinner.

Said dinner was delicious and thankfully, cherry free. Sue had cooked steaks with mashed potatoes, vegetables and roast potatoes. Dessert, rumour has it, was her unmatchable apple and rhubarb pie, which also happened to be one of Seth's favourites, with custard along with apple crumble, Leah's favourite. Conversation flowed free and easily, which was surprising as Sam would ask me questions every few minutes that I had reluctantly answered due to Seth's silent insistence, usually in the form of a nudge to my leg with his. He can get quite pushy on his birthday, it seems.

When Emily and Kim sat from handing out dessert, Sue was left standing down the table, her eyes turned towards Seth, Leah and I as she raised her orange juice. The others at the table looked at her curiously but we both knew what was coming. I smiled at Seth, who was blushing with embarrassment towards his mother's actions. I squeezed his hand just as she began to speak.

"As you all know, my babies turned 19 today. Again, we all wish you guys a happy birthday. But it seems that your birth isn't the only thing this dinner should be celebrating." She announced, making everyone turn to look at us in question. Leah was smiling brightly from her seat, which confused everyone even more. "Chris surprised Seth this morning with an extra special birthday present-"

"We do NOT want to know about this." Quil groaned dramatically, earning several slaps across the head from the ones around him and a glare from Sue for being interrupted. Everyone chuckled though and Seth blushed harder. I just smirked.

"Be quiet, Quil." Sue huffed, shaking her head before turning a smile back to us. "As I was saying, as tradition, Chris has presented Seth with his promise bracelet, both of which they are wearing. My baby is engaged! Congratulations, Sweetheart, Chris. You both deserve this. To Seth and Chris!"

"To Seth and Chris!"

Cheers and applaud erupted around us and I couldn't help the grin on my face. Seth laughed, burying his face into my shoulder to hide his embarrassment and blush. I kissed the top of his head. Paul stood and yanked me up as well, embracing me tightly as he whispered his own congratulations in my ear. I smiled as he pulled away and he grinned. Rachel had tears in her eyes as she embraced us both, welcoming Seth to family and already calling him Uncle Seth.

Countless hugs and congratulations were passed around before we all sat down to eat dessert. I had, somehow, avoided any congratulations from Josh or Sam, but hugged Embry like everyone else when he had stepped up to me. Gifts from everyone were given to Seth and Leah after lunch as we gathered in the living room. They seemed grateful for everything they received and thanked them all profusely, hugging them all again when they made to leave.

I wrapped my arms around my Pup just as he closed the door behind Paul, Rachel and Alex. He leaned back into me instantly, resting his head against my shoulder. He turned to face me and pressed his lips to mine with a small moan. I pulled him tighter against me, cupping and squeezing his ass. He gasped into my mouth and groaned, wrapping his arms around my neck before jumping slightly. I lifted and allowed his legs to wrap around my waist, our crotches brushing teasingly in the movement.

"Bedroom." He gasped as he pulled his lips from mine. I growled and bounded up the stairs, taking three at a time. He giggled at my rush and began to lick and nibble neck. His whole body trembled against mine as I nipped extra hard at his mating mark, a growl coursing through me at the mere sight of it. I wanted to devour him, to ravish him senseless until he didn't know his own name.

He yelped in surprise when I unceremoniously threw him onto the bed. He panted against the sheets, peering up at me through lustful, hooded eyes as hovered over him on my hands and knees. I kissed him sharply, making him moan before I shuffled back off the bed. He pouted in protest and I couldn't help the chuckle that escaped at his expression. His eyes grew with excitement and anticipation as I tore the shirt off my body. He moaned at my display of power and swallowed hard. I could see his hands twitching, as if all he wanted to do was reach out and caress every inch of me. In a little while maybe but right now, this was all about him.

He bit his lip as my jeans immediately followed the scrap of metal that was my shirt. He groaned at the sight of my engorged member, hot, hard and ready for him. I growled when he licked his lips and cocked his eyebrow suggestively. He made to sit up to come over to me but I wouldn't allow that. I pushed him back down, to which he protested. I cut them off with a searing kiss, ripping his own shirt from his body and throwing it blindly across the room.

My hands found his body instantly, feeling the hard ridges of his muscular chest as my hands trailed down to his tenting cut offs. He moaned lowly as my knuckles traced over his hard cock through the material. His hips bucked but I would let him off this time. It was his birthday sex after all.

I made quick work of his shorts and he panted in anticipation as I began to trail kisses across his skin, moving lower and lower. I couldn't resist teasing his nipples, knowing that it drove him wild. As expected, he thrust his chest into my face, seeking my friction. I bit down on his left nipple and he cried out, clamping my hair in his hands.

"Fuck, that feels so good." he panted with his head thrown back into the pillow. I hummed around his nub and he jerked, groaning. So sensitive...

Deciding that I'd had enough of his amazing chest, I began to suck and nibble my way down the middle of his chest, making sure to lick the crevasses between his ripped muscles. He whimpered when I dipped my tongue deep into his belly button, his whole body spasming as a result. I grinned against his skin, proud that I could entice that sort of reaction out of him. He never ceases to amaze me.

"You want me to go further, Pup?" I murmured huskily against his hip bone. He moaned and nodded swiftly. I smirked. "I didn't hear you."

"Yes! Yes please...oh God, please?" he begged. I growled as desire coursed through me at his tone.

"Since you asked so nicely..." I ground, swiping my tongue along the underside of his cock. He gasped and jutted into me so I threw my forearm over his hips to keep him still.

Then my mouth wrapped around his head and I engulfed him until he hit the back of my throat. I moaned around him as he screamed out to the ceiling. I had no doubt in my mind that whoever was on patrol right now had heard him but I didn't give a fuck.

I sucked and licked around his shaft, bobbing my head occasionally to lick and nibble his tip as my index finger probed his entrance. He moaned and clenched his ass before trying to move towards it. My arm prevented him and he groaned in frustration. He gasped as my finger entered him, just as tight as before. After a second, he seemed to relax slightly so I slid it in further.

He was in pure ecstasy whilst I sucked and prepared him for me. His hands clenched in my hair and he tried to guide me to where he wanted me but it wasn't happening. I growled at him in warning, cock still in my mouth and he moaned wantonly, throwing his head back in ecstasy.

I knew he was close. I could tell by the hitch in his breathing, ragged and low, as well as his hips rutting against my restraining forearm, trying to make my now three digits enter him deeper. He had been reduced to incoherent babble minutes ago and the tightening of his sac made anticipation of what I was about to receive course through me. My sucking returned with vigour and my free hand came up to massage his sac gently. He groaned, muttering something inaudible to my ears before he tensed, remaining ridged in the middle of my bed as he gave a mighty, arousing roar followed by an loud exclamation of my name. He emptied himself into my mouth and I moaned around him, unable to get enough of his unique, amazing taste.

He slumped down against the mattress breathlessly as I let his delicious cock fall from my mouth with a pop. He groaned in protest as my fingers slid out of him and I couldn't help the self-satisfied grin that crept up on my face as I moved to hover over him on the bed. His eyes were closed and he was panting like a marathon runner but the grin on his face made my heart expand. I couldn't help but kiss it. He responded instantly, moaning. His arms locked me to him as he slipped his tongue into my mouth. There was something about the fact that he was tasting himself on my tongue that made my wolf roar within me.

He yelped in surprise as I pushed him down on the bed, lowering my hips between his legs as I sat up on my calves. He stared up at me with a mixture of need and wanton desire. I smirked at him and reached over for the bottle of lube I had sitting on my bedside table. He bit his lip, watching my every move as I clicked the lid open and squirted a generous amount into my palm. His eyes smouldered as he watched me palm my cock, spreading the lube of it. I couldn't help but watch his reactions to me. He was so sexy.

I crawled up the bed slowly, bending over to hover above him as my hips met his. He shivered from the contact and pleaded me with his eyes as he spread his legs open wider, willingly. I captured my lips with his in a searing kiss, plunging my tongue deep into his mouth as I pulled his legs up over my waist. He locked his ankles behind me at the small of my back and I could feel my member nudging at his slick opening. He moaned and panted, pulling away from my kiss.

"Now, I need you. Please, Chris, I need you now." he whined, begging me to take him. I growled lowly and recaptured his lips, thrusting gently so that I penetrated that tight muscle. Even after so much preparation, he was still so tight. "Ooh fuuck..."

"Oh yeah..." I breathlessly agreed as my face buried into his neck. He tensed his thighs.

"More."

I growled and thrust into him fully, making him yelp slightly in pain. I kissed the side of his neck in love and comfort and kept still for him to adjust to me. My hands stroked his sides and ass cheeks. When he bucked his hips into me, I thought I was going to lose control but I centred myself, pulling my face back slightly so that I could watched his as I pulled out of him, almost all the way. He threw his head back with a cry as I snapped my hips forward. I could feel his fingernails clawing at my back.

"You like that Pup? You want more?" I whispered huskily into his ear. He moaned and nodded, biting his lip. I grinned wickedly and began to set a slowly building pace into him. He gasped every thrust or so as I angled my hips differently with every thrust, searching for it.

I knew when I found it because his legs became like a cobra's grip and he actually drew blood from my back as he cried out and arched into me. I grunted at the sharp pain on my back from his nails but I could already feel the skin healing and the pain just added to the pleasure. I continued to hit his special spot deep within him, leaning forwards and almost bending him in half as I pressed my lips to his, driving into him.

I caught his hand as it made to slide between us, knowing where it was heading and growled in disapproval. He whimpered in need and I smirked as soon as he opened his eyes to implore with me.

"Not until I say and not by anything but my cock." I growled at him. He gasped and nodded, unable to deny me as he threw his head back, exposing his neck to me. A deep rumbled sounded in my chest as I feasted upon his skin, my pace [picking up as the coil in my stomach tightened further and further.

"I'm so close...Chris please, Baby I'm so, so close!" he keened, thrusting his hips towards me. A sharp skin slapping snap penetrated the room, accompanying our grunts, moans and growls.

I trust deeper and harder, hitting his prostrate every single time with force that sent him reeling but still he didn't let go, heeding my words and warnings. I decided to stop torturing my Pup, knowing that he deserved his release as it was his birthday so I leaned down, licking down his chest until my mouth enclosed around one of his nipples. I cast my eyes upward so that I could watch him cum and then I bit down sharply on his nub, seeing his face contort in the most beautiful pleasure imaginable and his tight entrance constricted around me almost painfully.

"CHRIS!" he screamed, arching into me, tensely as he shot his load all over our stomachs. I moaned as I felt it hit me, warm and wet. That thought was my undoing and I roared, clamping down on his neck as I rutted into him twice and shot my load deep within him. He gasped and groaned, hanging onto me for dear life until his body slumped when I bit his tendon again.

Then something weird happened...

He lurched against my body as if trying to get me off him, like he needed to move. Frowning, I obeyed him, increasingly worried about my pup as he scrambled off the bed and ran towards the bathroom. My eyes widened as retching penetrated the stunned silence and I launched myself after him, skidding to a halt beside him as he crouch in front of the porcelain bowl. Unable to think of what to do, I just rubbed his back and watched helpless as he threw up everything he had eaten today.

"Seth, Pup, talk to me. Now. Tell me what's wrong!" I urged, my fright escalating as his vomiting continued. The rational side of me knew that he couldn't answer me because of that, but the irrational side of me, the scared side just wanted to know what was wrong with our Pup.

He groaned and laid his head against the rim of the toilet. A sweat broke across his brow and I wiped it away with a nearby towel. His eyes were closed, seeming heavy and I thought it was over. I was helping him up so that he could brush his teeth when he doubled over again, vomiting more sick into the toilet. I was half going out of my mind, half wanting to hunt down whatever had made my pup sick. Of course, that was the irrational side of me again. No one was t blame unless...

"Seth, oh God, Seth did I do this?" I gasped, feeling tears collect in my eyes. I refused to let them fall though. He shakily shook his head before he was sick again. "Shit, I'm going to call your Mom."

He groaned and turned to face me. "No, no don't. She'll overreact, just like you're doing. I'll be fine. I think I'm done. Help me up?" he croaked. I was by his side in an instant and helped him shakily to his feet by the sink. With trembling hands, he brushed his teeth, not meeting my gaze in the mirror as I watched him.

"What the hell just happened?" I growled. He glanced at me briefly as he wiped his mouth.

"I was sick." he replied. I scowled at him and he back tracked. "I mean, it was nothing. I guess I just felt funny since lunch. I'm fine, Chris, okay? I promise." he murmured, finally holding my gaze for more than a second as he approached, wrapping his arms around my waist. I sighed and pulled him close, burying my nose into his hair and inhaling. I felt some stress leave me with him being in my arms but I still wanted to know what had caused him to throw up like that. We shifters couldn't get sick-

No...

No, no, no, no...

Holy shit! Fuck no!

* * *

**:O I bet you guys hate me right now but oh well. I guess you already know what is up any way ;D**

**Please review! I can't wait to hear was you guys think! :3**

**Love  
****MrsWolfPack  
****x**


	27. Conflicting Emotions

**Hey, hey, my Lovelies!**

**Thank you for the generous reviews! I'm getting more and more with each new update so thank you! A special thanks to my most loyal reviewers – Soundshield11, Oh2byoung and Yes-my-name-is-Seth :D You guys are awesome!**

**Of course, this is dedicated to my NZ family! You know who you are! You guys are awesome :D Love ya **

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**Without further ado...Enjoy!**

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**Previously on Clouded Joy...**

"_I was sick." he replied. I scowled at him and he back tracked. "I mean, it was nothing. I guess I just felt funny since lunch. I'm fine, Chris, okay? I promise." he murmured, finally holding my gaze for more than a second as he approached, wrapping his arms around my waist. I sighed and pulled him close, burying my nose into his hair and inhaling. I felt some stress leave me with him being in my arms but I still wanted to know what had caused him to throw up like that. We shifters couldn't get sick-_

_No..._

_No, no, no, no..._

_Holy shit! Fuck no!_

* * *

**Chapter 26**

**Conflicting Emotions**

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**Seth's Point of View**

"I was sick." I replied, trying to act nonchalant about the whole thing but I should have known that this moment wasn't really time for joking. I saw his expression darken and I quickly backtracked, not wanting to anger him. "I mean, it was nothing. I guess I just felt funny since lunch. I'm fine, Chris, okay? I promise."

I shuffled towards him, keeping my head low but still able to look him in the eyes as I wrapped my arms around him. I felt my whole body relax against his at his touch and I laid my head on his chest. The wooziness in my stomach had settled right down, thank God but now I was tired, hungry and thirsty. I felt like shit. His arms tightened around me and I felt him bury his nose in my hair. He relaxed as he took in my scent and I thought that everything would clam down again so that we could go back to bed and snuggle up to sleep.

Boy was I wrong...

In a millisecond flat, his body went from serene and relaxed to tense and ridged. My own body tightened in response and my eyes widened, wondering what had caused such a reaction and whether it was something that I had done. Eyes still as wide as saucers, I pulled back from him to look at his face. What I found thee scared me silly – the blank mask was back, the one he used to cloud all emotion. I hadn't seen it for so long now. I felt the irrational need to cry at its appearance now but I held the emotion back, knowing something was seriously wrong here.

My hand reached up to rest on his cheek shakily and it nearly broke my heart when he flinched slightly, though he didn't pull away. I swallowed hard. "Chris? Baby, what's wrong? What's the matter?" I asked, quietly. He didn't answer. I could feel the trembling in his body and I worried that he was losing control but I couldn't gauge anything about him with that mask still in place.

"Baby, you're scaring me...did I do something wrong?" I asked, uncertainly. I tried to think back to what I could have done but I was only sick. Surely he couldn't be upset with me for that?

I became alarmed and actually stepped back a step when his breathing quickened and his eyes darkened further. His lip twitched in a snarl and I swallowed hard. I'd never seen him like this before. I glanced down at his clenched fists, both trembling until they were almost a blur. I took another step back but that seemed to piss him off even more. He growled deeply, making me jump and suddenly he was pacing, muttering and growling profanities under his breath as he glanced at me with wild eyes every pace or so.

I stood there helplessly, my worry increasing the longer I watched him. It was clear that he seemed to have realised something but what I couldn't tell you. I had an errant thought of how much Chris looks like Paul in this very moment. They were like two peas in an angry, over-protective pod. I eyed the phone, wondering if I should call someone, just in case I wasn't able to control Chris and stop him from going off the handle. I wasn't scared of him; I know that he would never hurt me but still, _something_ or _someone_ was causing this behaviour and until I found out what, I was being cautious.

I jumped and gasped as a loud thump resonated through the house and I spun around like lightning in time to see Chris pull his fist from the dry wall. I saw traces of blood and rushed right over, probably being unintentionally fussy.

"Jesus Christ, Seth, I'm fine." he growled at me, making me recoil and hurt spread through my heart. Upon seeing it, his eyes lost their wildness and they softened slightly. I but my lip, eyeing him uncertainly as he sighed and gave me his hand to inspect. I noticed that he kept his distance though so I kept mine. He seemed spontaneous and impulsive right now.

I looked down, turning his dusty hand this way and that whilst wiping it off softly. I kept my eyes down, my shoulders low and my neck slightly exposed so that I didn't aggravate his wolf with an unintentional challenge to his dominance. Confusion, hurt and worry were still prevalent within me and I knew that it was showing on my face. I felt Chris' finger glide down my face and my eyes flicked towards his. The anger and wildness was gone from his eyes, giving way to love and remorse.

"I'm fine, Pup. Just a scratch." he murmured, intertwining his fingers with mine. "It's you I'm worried about."

I frowned up at him confused. "Why on earth would you be worried about me when you're the one freaking out here? I was just sick, Chris. I'm fine." I tried to reassure him but the rage was back and I took a step away. He growled at me.

"You're not fine! Stop saying that!" he shouted.

"I feel fine! Don't tell me how I feel!" I shouted back, surprising myself but enraging him more. I cringed when his fist to another swing at the wall.

"Say it once more, Seth! I swear to God!" he growled, glaring at me. I glared back.

"Okay then, if I'm not fine, according to you, then what's wrong with me?" I asked, flippantly as I crossed my arms over my chest. He scowled at me.

"It's all my fault...Stupid, stupid! You stupid fuck!" he gritted out, turning away from me suddenly as clenching both his hands in his hair. I stormed towards him and grabbed his forearms, yanking them away. He growled at the force I was using with him and I was pinned to the wall in a matter of seconds. I panted between him and the wall, staring into his eyes, which were wild again. I watched in alarm and confusion as pain and remorse overtook his face. My heart ached for him; I could feel everything he was feeling in my chest. "I'm so sorry, Pup..."

"What? Don't be. You didn't hurt me, Chri-"

"No...not this." he cut me off, shaking his head slightly. I frowned at him and glanced down as his hands, which had been on my waist, slid across the skin to my stomach. He was trying to tell me something; I knew he was... "This, I'm sorry for this...I'm so sorry. We were being so careful and- I just can't believe it. I'm so sorry, Pup. I've put you in so much danger. I'm sorry."

I watched in horror and surprise as actual tears formed and brimmed over his eyes. His hands began to massage my stomach, which I had to admit felt pretty good. His touch was light and soft, as if taking extra care with me. I tried to piece together what he was trying to tell me. He was sorry, but for what? What were be being careful with? What could possibly be his fault and would warrant a reaction like this? Why the fuck was he still caressing my stomach-

Oh Holy Mother of Christ...he cannot be serious...

My mind spiralled dangerously as I connected the dots and I could feel my heart accelerate within my chest. I swallowed hard, my eyes becoming hazy as I thought about being careful whilst having sex...How weird I had been feeling all day since lunch after smelling those apples in the crumble...The sickness...how tired and thirty I am now...He would be sorry as he was my dominant and feels responsible for me and I guess he was...His hands were caressing my stomach because...because...

I was pregnant.

Oh God...

He must have seen the realisation on my face because he let me go as if I was on fire and I had burned him, moving away from me as if he thought he would infect me if he was too close. He kept shooting nervous, frightened glances at my abdomen whilst I couldn't stop thinking about the fact that I was actually going to have a baby...a real life cub... Wait, why would Chris react like this? Why didn't he seem happy?

My eyes snapped to his form across the room. He was pacing again, muttering things under his breath as he glanced at me every so often. Panic and sadness coursed through me at the sight of his scowl, the proof of his unhappiness. I bit my lip to hold back the tears but they were coming anyway. Thank God he wasn't looking at me.

"This can't be happening...We're not ready for this, Seth. We can't do this!" he shouted suddenly, wheeling around to face me only to do a double-take when he saw my face. I knew my eyes were red rimmed and my cheeks were wet. His eyes softened just like all those other times he's seen me upset and he made his way over to me, engulfing me in his arms, though I noticed he didn't hold me as tight as he usually does and he left an inch or so of space between our bodies. "It's going to be okay, Seth, I promise. I don't know what you want to do but...I'll stand by you."

I looked up at him, vulnerably. "Okay...what if I said I wanted the cub? Would you stand by me then?" I asked, watching his face for any lie or deception. It turned serious and I held my breath for his answer.

"I'll always stand by you, Pup...But some things I just can't bring myself to like or accept...at least not yet." he said, lowly. My heart quivered but I reassured myself that it wasn't a no and had said 'at least not yet'. He could accept this in time, even become happy about it.

I shouldn't have expected any differently to be honest. We were both young, 18/19 years old, both just out of high school and a gazillion wolf pack duties to perform. I knew what his biggest problem was though – he was scared for me, scared of the unknown surrounding this whole male pregnancy. He hated not know what was going to happen during the process and to me at the end of it. I had to admit, I was scared also but I knew I wasn't going to be able to get through this without him. I needed Chris.

"I _will_ stand by you though, Seth. You're my mate...my Pup; I wouldn't abandon you now, not ever. You'll always have my support and loyalty." he assured me, stroking my cheek. My heart swelled and my eyes filled with tears. He wiped them away before they could spill and I pulled his head down for a searing kiss. He didn't get into it though, ending it before it even gopt started. I pouted at him as he did and he chuckled dryly, shaking his head. "You should go sleep. I'll get you a glass of water."

He was gone before I could protest and in his absence, exhaustion nearly swept me off my feet. I slumped over to our bed and crawled in. If it wasn't for the fact that I was thirsty, I would have been out the second my head hit the pillow. Chris came in with two glasses of water and I downed both of them before lying back down. He sat on the edge of the bed, just watching me. I smiled at him softly and he returned it but there was underlying sadness and remorse in his eyes still. I hated that he felt so guilty for something as amazing as this…

* * *

We kept it to ourselves for a couple of weeks, just to make sure that nothing would happen to the cub and in Chris' case, so that he could continue to freak out about it in peace. I could tell that everyone was becoming concerned about me. I was constantly tired, having midday naps and Chris had been volunteering to do my patrols but Jacob didn't mind as long as they got done. Sure, he was curious and was one of the worst culprits for asking me if I was alright but I was always say yes.

My appetite had increased, which was pretty much expected and I was eating the craziest things. Just last night I practically begged Chris to make me a bowl of mint chocolate chip ice cream with olives, pickled onions and beetroot. The looks he gave me had made me laugh for a solid fifteen minutes until I was interrupted by the need to pee.

One thing that had changed about my physically was my stomach but not drastically. It had softened out slightly from my usual eight pack but still, it wasn't obvious. Only Chris, who had spent hours exploring and memorising every inch of my body on a regular basis, had noticed. Not even I knew about it until he told me one morning whilst he watched me get dressed from his bed perch.

We had done some math between us when we had attempted to guess my conception date. Chris seemed to think that it was the very first time but I had my doubts. I mean, who was that unlucky, or lucky as the case may be? But then, as my Mom would say 'it only takes the once'. I guess he could be right. That would put me at nearly 6 weeks at this point...

We didn't think it to be plausible that I would have bloated so much in such a short time. Even women who were having multiples didn't bloat like this at that stage. But then, I wasn't a woman and we were going into this blindly. We didn't know whether it was a norm of male pregnancy or not.

One thing that was scaring me was the way Chris was acting. Don't get me wrong, he didn't avoid me or anything. He doted upon me as if I was sick, doing everything for me. I'd had mentioned the patrols already. No, I was talking about his proximity to me. He kept his distance, never sitting too close on the couch or lying right up against me in bed anymore. His kisses lingered for less than a second now and I can't even remember the last time I got a taste of his delicious mouth.

I didn't know whether it was because he was afraid, for me or of the pregnancy or whether it was because…he found me repulsive now. Maybe me being with cub wasn't as exciting and exhilarating to him as it was to me. He confused me to no end because I'd watch him watching me, smiling at me some times and when we wake up, he'd have his hands protectively resting against my stomach. Sure, he quickly moved them like he'd been burnt and that hurt, a lot but they had been there. Those little things had prevented my hopes of him accepting this from being dashed. I knew that deep down, he liked the idea. His wolf loved the idea, Paul has said so himself after he'd patrolled with Chris one time.

It seemed Chris the man and Chris the wolf were at war with each other. His fear over me and my life were fighting off against the joy and pride for becoming a father of his wolf. I wanted to help him through it but I had a feeling that only Chris could overcome this obstacle. I could only hope that he did it soon.

We were lounging across the sofa. I was between his legs with my back up against his front. His nose was buried in my hair and his arms were draped around my shoulders. He didn't touch my lower torso anymore, not since that first time he caressed my stomach.

"I think we should tell people." I voiced after a long bout of silence. If Chris reacted, I didn't' feel or sense it from him. I twisted my head so that I could peer up at him only to find that his eyes were glazed over and he probably wasn't even listening. I nudged his thigh. "Chris, baby, are you listening?"

With that, he gave a jolt and his eyes refocused before he gave me an apologetic grin. I rolled my eyes and chuckled. "Sorry, Pup, what were you saying?" he asked, stroking a hand over and through my hair.

"I said I think we should start telling people." I repeated and as I expected the first time I'd said it, his body tensed beneath mine. I sighed and sat up, turning my body so that it sat across his thighs and my back was against the sofa cushion. His face was like stone again and it hurt to see. "I mean, just Mom and Leah. Jacob would need to know. Maybe you could tell Paul and Rachel as well."

"Seth…don't you think it's a little early?" he mumbled, looking down at his hands. I frowned, exasperatedly.

"Chris, this isn't going away, no matter how long or hard we try to hide it. It's happening and everyone needs to know. You know they do." I protested, becoming slightly angry at his aversion to this.

"I just think we should wait another week or two." He grumbled, scowling now. I shook my head and got up from him. He was being such an ass.

"No, you think that if we keep putting it off then it's not real. But I can assure you, Chris, it is real. The sickness, the fatigue, the cravings; they are all real. That's what I'm going through." He spat, my face distorting in anger. His eyes snapped to mine and he glared.

"Don't you think I know what you're going through?" he growled back, standing up. I held my ground.

"No, I don't think you do."

"Bullshit. I feel the fatigue, the sickness. Yeah, sure, not up to the point where I actually vomit but I feel it. I feel everything through the link that we have, our imprint. I was tempted to try that abomination you had the other day, the one with the ice cream and olives. Whilst you're sleeping, I'm practically dead on my feet during patrols." He shouted. I was surprised by this. I didn't realise he was feeling the pregnancy too. "I don't care about all that though, Seth. I don't care that I'm constantly tired. You're my only concern and right now, I'm scared shitless for you! Don't you get it? You could DIE from this!"

I stood frozen as he stormed from the room, swiping at a glass vase Mom bought Chris and it smashed against the wall. I jumped and closed my eyes, feeling the tears building. I took deep breaths and centred myself before making my way after him. I followed his scent slowly, glancing around corners and wringing my hands in front of me. I found him pacing on the back porch and I leant against the doorframe, watching him intently. If he knew I was there, he didn't acknowledge me so I just kept telling myself that he didn't know. I didn't want him to start ignoring me now. A after a few minutes of not even a glance towards me, I pushed off the wooden frame and edged towards him.

He stopped, standing at the porch railing overlooking the side of the house. I stepped up behind him and wrapped my arms around his waist. I knew he didn't want to but he relaxed under my touch and his hands came to rest on mine against his stomach. He sighed deeply, shaking his head to himself. I didn't say anything, allowing him to break the silence when he was ready.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, hardly even audible but I heard the vibrations in his chest enough to decipher what he said. I frowned but he didn't give me a chance to reply. "I'm sorry for losing it back there, for the last couple of weeks. I'm sorry for being such an ass and not being able to accept this."

"It's okay." I murmured. He shook his head and turned in my arms, cupping my jaw to make me look at him.

"No, it isn't. You're going through all this whilst I'm having a pity party. I'm not being very supportive when I said I would be."

"You've been plenty supportive. You've been amazing." I contradicted. He looked away. "I just wished that you'd be as happy as I am."

"I'm trying. It may not seem like it but I am, I swear. It's just hard. Every time I think about it, about you, my mother comes to mind and…I can't…I can't lose you, Pup."

"You won't."

"You don't know that."

"Chris, trust me. Have faith in me; that's all I'm asking. I'm strong; I'm a protector. I'll be able to deal with this when the time comes." I told him, begging him with my eyes to take my reassurances on board.

"I'll try."

"So…you don't want to tell people yet then? Not even Mom or Jacob?" I asked, looking down. He was silent for the longest time and I heard him sigh a couple of times. "It's okay, I guess, if you don-"

"No…No, it's okay. I guess your mom deserves to know…and Jacob, he'll need to know. They already know that something is up, especially with me doing your patrols so we might as well." He agreed, surprising me yet again. My eyes widened excitedly and I looked up at him. At my expression, he chuckled and smiled slightly. "When do you want to do it?"

"You're serious? We can tell people?" I asked, hopefully. He nodded, smiling slightly. "Can we go now? I want them to know so bad!"

He sighed but nodded and I grabbed his hand, pulling him towards the forest edge. He hesitated. "Seth, shouldn't we take the car?" he asked, uncertainly.

"Chris, I've phased before we knew, remember? I don't think it'll hurt him." I opinionated, feeling positive that that was the case.

"Him? You think it's a boy?" He asked, curiously. I shrugged.

"Don't know but I guessed calling him a 'he' is better than an 'it', right?" I reasoned.

"I guess."

Under the cover of the trees, I watched as Chris shred his shorts. I grinned lasciviously at him and he laughed, rolling his eyes before falling forward, exploding into his beautiful wolf. I couldn't help but stand there and smile at him like an idiot. He truly was the most beautiful creature I'd ever seen. He walked towards me slowly and nudged my arm with his nose. I giggled and rubbed my cheek against the side of his muzzle, making him growl slightly.

"Love you." I murmured into his fur. He gave a rumbling purr and then nudged me again. I laughed, understanding what he was getting at and took a few steps back from him. He sat and watched me as I stripped. I giggled as his tongue hung from his mouth and he began to pant.

I closed my eyes and relaxed. I hadn't done this in a couple of weeks and I'd been itching too. I felt the familiar heat surge up my back and I fell forwards. I felt the slightest twinge in my abdomen but it didn't hurt. I didn't know what it was, to be honest. I'd never felt anything like it. My thoughts became Chris' as well and I trotted over to him, rubbing my muzzle against the thick fur of his chest. He grumbled and licked my ear.

_You okay? _He asked, worriedly. If I was human, I would have rolled my eyes.

_Yes, I'm okay. It felt weird for a second but I'm fine. I promise._ I assured him. He nodded and nudged the side of my head.

_Come on then, let's go. Everyone should be at Jake and Bella's right?_ Chris asked. I nodded and made to run passed him. Chris gasped in his mind and I jolted to a stop. Focusing on his mind's eye, I gasped as well, seeing what he was seeing.

_Oh my God..._ I breathed, my eyes fixated on the image he was sending me of myself.

I was huge. Okay, sure, all of us wolves were huge but I meant this in an entirely different way. My body was bloated, showing clearly that I was pregnant. I'd never seen anything sop beautiful in my life. Knowing that my cub was in there, in me, I couldn't even find words to describe how proud that made me. I sat on my hind legs and dipped my head down between my front two. From this position, I could nudge at my stomach with my nose. It was hard, swollen with my baby, my cub. A whine escaped me briefly and I nudged myself again. I jumped with a yelp as my eyes grew wide, scared to death as something genuinely moved within me. I sat again, quickly nudging myself in anticipation to feel more. I whimpered in joy when I received an answering nudge.

_Oh my God...Oh my- Chris, Chris! Chris I felt him! I actually felt him, Baby! Can you believe it!_ I shouted, overcome by joy and love for the little cub within me.

I felt my eyes prickle as I lifted them in search of my wolf. He stood a way off, watching me intently. His eyes were dark, darker than I'd ever seen them. I was suddenly very aware of him and I stood as he approached me slowly, calculatingly. He circled me, his eyes on my body. Not even a small thought passed his mind and it was obvious that his wolf was more in control at the moment.

I kept perfectly still as he saddled up beside me, his nose skimming up the side of my muzzle. I couldn't help the small rumble of pleasure that escaped my chest as my eyes closed. He snuffled my neck, licking here and there. I whimpered submissively as he nipped at my neck and I instinctively lowered my head. His nose dipped towards my stomach and then quickly came back to nip my neck again. Following my instincts, I lowered myself to the ground and rolled over onto my back. My tail swished this way and that against the grassy floor as he stepped closer to hover his nose over mine. I licked the underside of his snout and he nudged me back before going back to his snuffling.

I squirmed and wiggled under him as his nose tickled. He pulled back slightly when he reached my stomach, sniffing curiously before nudging the side. He jumped back an inch or two when the cub moved and his head tilted to the side; one of the reasons why I knew he was in wolf mode. His tail began to wag slowly as he approached again and I watched as he snuffled me, pawing gently at my stomach as he whined. I wiggled and flipped awkwardly back to my stomach but remained lying down. I stroked my head against his legs and he flopped down behind me, moulding his wolf body to mine. His placed his head over my upper back.

_Chris...Baby, are you okay? _I asked cautiously. I didn't want to disrupt this amazing moment. His wolf whined and then it shook his head. I felt the moment when Chris became in control again and was extremely pleased when he didn't move from behind me.

He didn't answer for a time but when he did, it was low, surprised and awed. _I...Yeah, Pup, I'm good...I can't help but feel...okay about all this whilst in wolf form. My wolf...he likes it, loves it actually. He's so proud. _We_ are so proud._

_Of course he is, he got his mate knocked up with his pup...I think it's the man in you that has all the fear and uncertainty. You should trust in your wolf more, Baby. He knows what he's talking about._ I joked, mildly but knew that that was exactly what he needed to do. He didn't reply; he just nuzzled his head further into me and gave another snuffle of my stomach. I felt the pride well up inside of him when the cub nudged back.

_We should get going to our Alpha's house._ He murmured after a while. I nodded carefully climbed to my feet. Now that I thought about it, I was hyper aware of the extra weight weighing my back down, but it wasn't at all painful or uncomfortable. In fact, if felt perfectly right. Chris stood next to me again and I rubbed my side against his. He liked my ear before nipping it. _Come on._

I whined and began to follow him as we ran through the thick ground vegetable of the forest. Chris stayed close, his attention split in half, on me and where he was going. He was hovering, being an overprotective fool. I could jump over logs and stuff so it took us slightly longer to get to Jacob's house. We were right, everyone in the pack was here but I felt Chris' unease of telling everyone just yet.

_Baby, maybe that's best, you know? I mean, we won't have to tell it all twice or three times over. Don't you just want to get it out the way?_ I reasoned, hoping he'd go for it. He remained silent but I could see that he was deliberating it. He turned the question on me.

_You think we should? Do you want to?_ He asked, sighing. I nodded my wolf head slowly.

_Yeah, I think it'll be easier, to be honest._ I admitted. Without much argument, or any at all really, he nodded and lead the way to the edge of the trees.

* * *

**Hmm, what do you think of Chris' reaction? Is it believable considering his past? Or do you think he's overreacting? **

**Tell me what you think in a review! :D**

**Love  
****MrsWolfPack  
****xxx**

**ps – I have uploaded some new photos of Chris/Seth's wolves, as well as a pregnant Seth wolf :3 Go check them out on my photobucket! Eventually, a picture of the cub will also be added :3**


	28. Pack Cub

**Hey, hey, my Lovelies!**

**Thank you for the lovely reviews! They mean a lot!**

**Dedicated to very special men, Matt and Rich and their gorgeous boys. Love ya guys :D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own twilight! Unfortunately..D:**

**Without further ado...Enjoy!**

* * *

**Previously in Clouded Joy...**

_We should get going to our Alpha's house. He murmured after a while. I nodded carefully climbed to my feet. Now that I thought about it, I was hyper aware of the extra weight weighing my back down, but it wasn't at all painful or uncomfortable. In fact, if felt perfectly right. Chris stood next to me again and I rubbed my side against his. He liked my ear before nipping it. Come on._

_I whined and began to follow him as we ran through the thick ground vegetation of the forest. Chris stayed close, his attention split in half, on me and where he was going. He was hovering, being an overprotective fool. I could jump over logs and stuff so it took us slightly longer to get to Jacob's house. We were right, everyone in the pack was here but I felt Chris' unease of telling everyone just yet. _

_Baby, maybe that's best, you know? I mean, we won't have to tell it all twice or three times over. Don't you just want to get it out the way? I reasoned, hoping he'd go for it. He remained silent but I could see that he was deliberating it. He turned the question on me. _

_You think we should? Do you want to? He asked, sighing. I nodded my wolf head slowly. _

_Yeah, I think it'll be easier, to be honest. I admitted. Without much argument, or any at all really, he nodded and lead the way to the edge of the trees._

* * *

**Chapter 27**

**Pack Cub**

* * *

**Seth's Point of View**

_Are you sure about this?_ He asked, unsure of his previous decision to tell the whole pack of my pregnancy. I sighed.

_Yeah, but I won't make you do anything you don't want to. We can just tell Jake if you'd feel better. _I offered, not liking the idea at all. He sighed, seeing my afterthought.

_No, let's just get this over with. But I swear to God, if any of them make any wise cracks, I will deck them. _He warned, glancing back at me. I giggled internally and he gave me a silly wolf grin. _Come on then._

With that, I felt his mind slip from mine as his body morphed back into the gorgeous piece of dark, sexy man meat I had the privilege of calling mine. I think I may have drooled a little but I didn't care as I watched him untie his shorts from his ankle and stand up to slip them on. I actually whined as he covered his amazing body and he laughed, walking towards me. I couldn't help thinking what he was feeling now that he was human; did he still feel that pride towards me as he had in wolf form or had those feelings vanished with the beast?

He stopped in front of me, just staring and I dropped my head, peering up at him through my eyelashes. He smiled and reached forward, stroking my head affectionately. I leaned into his touch and then reached forward to give him a long lick up the face. He laughed loudly and batted me away. My tail wagged and I yipped slightly. He adopted a thoughtful look, tinged with probable uncertainty as he glanced down me. His eyes softened when he saw my stomach again and my hopes of his wolfy feelings remaining heightened.

Without taking his eyes off my cub bump, he ran his hands down my neck and across my shoulder. I turned my head to watch him as I walked closer to my hind legs and came to a stop beside them. Hesitantly, he reached towards my stomach and set a soft hand against it. His breath hitched and his eyes softened further. I watched in awe as he knelt down beside me and placed his other hand on me. He then proceeded to turn his head to the side and place his ear against my fur, trying to listen to the cub inside me. My heart swelled to three times its size at the picture and I knew that it was one I'd commit to memory.

"Wow...Pup, this is...this is so..._real_. I can..I can hear his heartbeat, Pup. It's so fast." he whispered, his voice saturated with awe and love. I whined above him and his eyes opened, connecting with mine. It was in that moment where I began to see the change of heart in my wolf. His face was happy and open, lighter than I'd ever seen it and I'd never seen so much emotion displayed on his face at one time before. "I never thought...I'm so confused about this. My heart wants to jump in happiness but my head...Fuck..."

I whined in sympathy and worry for his internal conflict. I wanted to help him out so much but I don't think there was anything I could do. I butted the side of his head with my nose and whined again. He looked at me for a second and nodded, knowing what I wanted. He got up and stepped back a step or two. I closed my eyes and concentrated. I didn't know whether I had to change the way I did this now I was pregnant, whether I should do something differently but as I felt the heat rescind from my spine and my limbs return to my own human ones, I knew that it was just as easy to phase in this condition as normal.

Chris' warm arms were wrapped around me instantly and he didn't even give me chance to pull on some shorts before he had me pulled tightly to his chest. Fuck, I've missed this; I've missed being this close, so close that I can feel his every muscle fitting together with my own like a jigsaw piece. I quickly wrapped my own arms around him and pulled him tighter, though we were both conscious of the small bloated stomach between us. It was small but we didn't want to take chances.

"Chris, please, please be happy about this. We both know your wolf is. We both feel it, even now. I love you and I want this with you so badly but I can't help thinking that...you don't want this." I sighed, burying my face into his neck.

"Hey...Pup, no, it's...it's not that I don't want this...or that I'm unhappy about it. I'm just-"

"Scared." I mumbled against his skin. He sighed deeply.

"I'm such a coward."

My head snapped back and I glared at him but he wouldn't look at me. I reached up and grabbed his chin, making him. His eyes were tortured again and I never wanted to see that ever again. "You listen to me right now. You are the bravest man I've ever met. Not even the strongest of men could have been able to go through what you have and come out of it reasonably sane. I'm so proud of you. It's not a weakness to be scared; it's called being human. Everyone gets scared, Chris but I'm here. We can get through this. We're stronger together." I told him heatedly with as much passion as I possibly could.

His eyes darkened and his hands tightened on my waist. He captured my lips with his and moaned as his tongued slipped into my mouth. I slide my hand sup into his hair and let him dominate me for a few minutes before he pulled away panting. He placed his forehead to mine and pecked the tip of my nose. I sighed in longing. He hasn't kissed me like that for so long...

"Thank you." he whispered. I looked up at him.

"Contrary to what Paul believes, there are ways of knocking some sense into people without having to fight them." I teased, smirking. He chuckled and nodded.

"Try to convince Paul of that." he bantered back. I smiled and leaned up for a kiss. His hands brushed my stomach again and I shivered at the contact. He pulled back, frowning down between us. "I wonder why you're not rounded like you are in wolf form."

I shrugged and looked down too at my now flat, slightly bloated stomach. "I don't know. Maybe it's to protect me." I mused. Chris glanced at me, confused and silently asking me to explain. "Well, if you saw a heavily pregnant guy walk down the street, what would you think? It might be plausible and semi-normal for us in the tribe but in other places, this is supposed to be unheard of, impossible even. I guess I'll be having the cub in wolf form anyway so it makes sense I look more pregnant in that form."

"Have the cub in wolf form? Where did you learn that?" he asked, eyes wide.

"Pharoh's journal. There's not much in it but I think you should read it. Maybe it'll put some worries to rest." I advised. He sighed but nodded. He took my hand and led me towards the house. I resisted and laughed. "Wait, I can't go in there naked."

He growled and laughed, waiting for me to pull on some shorts before taking my hand again. I could feel my palms sweating the closer we got to the house. Don't get me wrong, I want them all to know and our big secret to be out in the open but I wasn't sure how they were all going to react. I could probably pick out a couple who will overreact but hopefully, Jacob will be okay with it. His opinion is all that truly matters as he is our alpha. Movement within the house told us they knew we were here so there was no going back now. I took a deep breath and looked up at Chris. He smiled a little tightly and nodded.

The back door opened as we walked up to it, revealing a smiling Bella. She rushed forward to wrap her arms around my neck and I jugged her back. "Oh my God, Seth. I haven't seen you in ages!"  
"Hey, yeah, sorry. Been kinda busy." I laughed, winking up at Chris. He grinned, slyly. She surprised all three of us by turning on Chris to give him a small punch in the shoulder.

"You, stop hogging our Seth." she grumbled, smiling. He cocked an eyebrow and pulled me back against him.

"I think you'll find he's _my_ Seth actually." he replied, sticking his tongue out. She laughed loudly and nodded, gesturing for us to come in the house after her.

We received many hugs from the wolf girls standing around the kitchen. I blushed when I received compliments about my skin and Chris chuckled when I covered my face with my hands when Rachel asked if I was moisturising. If only they knew... Bella handed us both a beer but I declined mine, much to the surprise of the girls. Chris was just smirking and gave me a wink.

"Oh my God, they have surfaced!" Quil shouted across the living room as we got to the door. I laughed and shook my head, meeting Jacob in the middle for a hug. He slapped Chris on the back with a nod.

"Where the hell have you guys been? We haven't seen Seth for like, two weeks." Embry asked, pulling Chris into a hug. Surprisingly, he hugged him back. Ah, progress. "Dude, you look different."

I made a conscious effort to keep my eyes from widening as I looked at my pack brother innocently. "I do? How so?"

"I dunno..." he trailed off, inspecting me with his head tilted to the side like a curious puppy.

"You're kinda...happy, well no, that's not the word..." Quil pitched in, looking at me in the same manner as Embry was. It was making me feel uncomfortable.

"Have you done something to your hair?" Bella asked from behind us. I turned to look at her and shrugged.

"Not really, why?"

"Looks softer somehow. You've kinda got a glow about you as well." she added, taking in my appearance. I blushed.

"That's what I was getting at!" Embry and Quil exclaimed together, grinning. Several guys rolled their eyes at their weirdness.

"The kid has just probably gotten screwed constantly for the last two weeks. You'd be glowing too." Jared snorted, winking at me. My blush deepened and Chris laughed.

"We have not be screwing!" I protested, glaring at my pack brother. He just laughed dubiously and nodded with a sarcastic grin and glint in his eyes.

"Right, just like Di and I played scrabble last night instead of taking advantage of a Hector-less night. I call bullshit." Embry laughed. I rolled my eyes.

"Believe what you want to believe. We could always go or..." Chris was cut off by a collective shout of 'no!' and I giggled, shaking my head. Chris smirked. "Didn't think so."

Everybody watched us intently as we manoeuvred our way through the masses of huge, scorching bodies lounged throughout the room. Chris kept an arm around my waist, steadying me when I stumbled a couple of times. Paul shifted Rachel, who was sat beside him, tucked under his massive arm, onto his lap to free up a space for us to sit. I blushed as Chris sat and then pulled me down to sit in his lap, subtly wrapping his arms protectively around my pregnant stomach.

Paul, who was as observant as a hawk, glanced at Rachel, who gave him the same curious, suspicious look as her husband was giving her. I tried not look guilty when they both turned to observe me further and kept my gaze from connecting with either of theirs.

"So did he have you chained to the bed or were you at least free to roam the house?" Brady asked, smirking devilishly. My face flamed red hot and I had to turn it into Chris' chest to hide my embarrassment, despite the fact that that wasn't the case at all. They probably thought so now though, judging by my reaction. Everyone laughed and even Chris let out a small chuckle at my expense.

"Nah man, he had him chained bent over the couch." Quil retorted, high-fiving Embry and Collin. I growled in annoyance and Chris brushed a hand across my stomach covertly, calming me down instantly.

"What, nothing to say you guys?" Jared taunted, grinning like a maniac.

"Jared, just because you need the confidence and esteem boost that comes from kissing and telling, doesn't mean that I do. I'm _very_ confident in my abilities, whereas you don't seem to be since you're asking for pointers." Chris retorted and I could feel the smirk in his voice without even looking at him. I let out a small giggle at his taunt though, seeing Jared glare over at my wolf whilst everyone else made goading sounds towards him.

"Whatever." Jared spat. Everyone laughed heartily.

"Seriously though guys, what have you been doing? Even Jake and Bella didn't spend two weeks fucking and they're the alpha pair. Why hasn't Seth been patrolling?" Sam asked, concerned and slightly pissed as he glared at me. I squeezed Chris' hand when his body tensed at the sound of Sam's obnoxious voice.

"I've been quite concerned myself, guys. I expect to be told why. I've let it slip by and happen because Chris, you've been distracted with concern for your imprint and it was obvious that Seth needed the time to himself, for whatever reasons. But I've been down a wolf for the last 2 weeks and I want to know why." Jacob spoke from his place at the head of the circle that had been instinctively drawn around him. I began to bite my lip and glanced at Chris. He nodded once to answer my silent question and I took a deep breath, turning my face back to look at Jacob. He was watching us critically, taking in every aspect of us.

"I've uh...been kinda sick actually, Jake." I admitted nervously as I dropped my gaze to the carpet by Chris' feet. I saw Jacob frown out the corner of my eye.

"We can't get sick, Seth." Quil pointed out, confused. I sighed.

"Seth can." Chris murmured, side glancing at me. I saw Leah tense across the room as she glared at the two of us.

"Will you just spit it the fuck out? Enough with the suspense and shit. I want to know what's wrong with my brother and why he's been out of commission for the last two weeks or so." she growled, impatiently.

"Calm the fuck down or we won't say a fucking word about it! I will NOT have Seth upset." Chris growled at my sister, who looked taken aback by his sudden outburst before quickly putting on the scowl again. I saw Jacob give her a look before turning to me.

"He won't be upset, Chris. Now what's going on?" he asked, shifting to the edge of his seat with his hands clasped together and his elbows on his knees. His expression was open and curious.

"I don't know...how to start." I mumbled. Chris squeezed me in comfort.

"From the beginning would be nice." Leah mumbled.

"Shut up Leah. Seth, what's so bad you can't talk to us about it? Are you in some sort of trouble?" Jake asked, concerned. I bit my lip and shook my head after a second. It wasn't bad, my pregnancy but it might not be easy for some people to accept, like Leah.

"No, Jake, no trouble...Well, I don't think anyway. Jake, I'm kinda...uh, well I'm..." I found myself stuttering, unable to blurt the words out that they needed to hear. Chris squeezed my arm and kissed the back of my neck before his voice rang out through the room, "Maybe it would be easier...if you showed them?"

I glanced back at my wolf. "Uh...I guess that could work, I suppose. As a wolf, you mean?" I double checked, biting my lip. He nodded. I swallowed.

"Show us what, exactly?" Leah asked, angrily. Both Jacob and Chris shot her a 'shut the fuck up' glare as Chris helped me back to my feet. Jacob followed suit, taking it as a prompt, still watching us intently. "Great, now where are we going?"

"For God sake, Lee. Just come outside and you'll find out. You're so impatient." I shot, exasperatedly. Chris growled at the displeasure in my voice and made a move towards my sister. I held his arm, imploring him with my eyes to leave it, I was fine. His eyes softened and he nodded, wrapping an arm around my waist as he led me back to the kitchen and out the back door.

"Everyone doesn't have to phase for us to show you but it'll be easier for Seth when he's phased to speak in wolf form instead of messing around to change back." Chris explained to the mass of Quileute wolves standing on the porch, looking at us as if we'd lost our minds. Jacob and Paul seemed to be the only ones seeing sense right now and they both nodded, making their way towards the tree line. The others seemed to snap out of it and began to follow after them, shooting the pair of us curious glances.

My brothers phased first, gathering into a huge group a few feet away from us. Their wolves were restless and fidgety with the suspense and tension unintentionally building around us and the house. Leah was pacing impatiently, staring at me with concern and worry in her eyes. Paul and Jacob seemed to be the only two who were relatively calm and I became suspicious about what they might suspect was going on. If they suspected anything of consequence, they didn't show it and that made me slightly uneasy. I didn't know what they felt about all this.

"Alright, Pup, I'm going to phase first and I want you to stay behind me when you do as well, okay?" Chris stipulated; the tone of his voice was firm and unyielding. It allowed no room for argument, not that I'd want to. We both ignored the indignant snorts and barks from the pack.

I nodded and he did so in return, stepping back away from me a few paces and reaching for his shorts. I stared unabashedly, earning a few barking snickers from the wolves behind him. I blushed but continued watching as he phased into his magnificent black and white wolf. I still marvelled at his beauty; strong and powerful but also cunning and lightning fast. I just wanted to rub myself against his soft, broad pelt and let him tower over me, dominating me. I felt his nose nudge against my chest, bringing me out of my daydream. I giggled and held my hands up before reaching for my shorts. Chris positioned himself in front of me, blocking me entirely from view of the others watching intently.

The familiar heat returned at the bottom of my spine but it was slow building, slower than before. My eyes screwed up when an uncomfortable feeling began to dwell in my stomach and momentarily worried that something was wrong with the cub. But I phased earlier, not twenty minutes ago so I knew that I could do it. I took it slow, not wanting to risk my cub and I sighed when the heat sped up, enveloping my spine and then spreading throughout my body. I fell forwards onto my front paws and my side instantly brushed against Chris'. He butted the side of my head with his snout and I gave him a lick in return.

My mind was instantly bombarded by the worried, curious enquiries of my pack brothers and sister. Jacob quietened them all down, sensing the building anger within Chris at my growing distress. It seemed my mind was a much more sensitive place nowadays and I was even beginning to form a headache from all the noise.

_Pup, you okay? _ Chris asked, worriedly as he licked my eye. I whined and nodded. _Are you ready for this?_

_Yeah, let them see._ I replied, swallowing nervously as he did as I asked.

I could feel everyone's eyes on me but surprisingly, the pack mind was silent. I could see the images of myself streaming through from their minds. I felt their confusion, perhaps because they didn't know what they were looking for. Chris knew instantly because it was his job to know everything about me, to notice things others wouldn't normally.

_I don't get it. What we looking for? _Quil asked, impatiently. I sighed, lying down on the grass as a wave of nausea and fatigue hit me. Chris was by my side in a second, crawling in behind me to curl around my back.

_Oh come on, Quil. Even you aren't that unobservant. It's not exactly hard to miss._ Chris laughed, shaking his head.

I watched Jacob's mind to see what he thought about it but his mind was still silent. His eyes were roaming over me, determined to detect what we were trying to show him and I could see the moment he found it. His eyes caught at the back end of me, widening as he saw the bloating of my stomach. His mind was still surprisingly silent so the others didn't figure it out just yet. I looked at Paul, who was sat next to our Alpha with the same look in his eyes as Jake. It seemed he saw it first, even before Jacob. Why hadn't he said anything?

Embry was the next to see it. _Oh my God…Is that what I think it is? _He gasped, eyes bulging as he took a couple of steps forward. Chris growled in warning. I swallowed nervously.

_Is what what you think it is? _Leah asked, growling. She still couldn't see it. _See what? Someone better start talking because I'm at the end of my tether._

_Jesus Chris, Leah…Chris, help me up._ I ordered, exasperated by my sister. Chris hopped up and let me lean against him as I climbed to my feet. He fussed over me for a few seconds before I playfully batted him away with a snicker. He shadowed me as I took a few steps closer to the pack and sat down in front of Leah. At this point, more of the guys began to see what the others had seen and low whispers were forming in the mind. _Lee, my stomach. Look at it._

I saw her frown but redirect her gaze to my bloated stomach. It took her a second to realise what she was seeing when she did realise, I could feel the utter rage build up inside of her as she turned a fierce glare towards my Wolf. She began to snarl and prowl towards him but he stood his ground.

_You son of a BITCH! HOW DARE YOU GET MY LITTLE BROTHER PREGNANT! I SHOULD KILL YOU WHERE YOU STAND! _She shrieked, foaming at her mouth like a rabid beast as she advanced on my lover. I wasn't about to bully him though, or blame him for something that wasn't planned. I am to blame just as much as he is. I quickly wiggled my way between Chris and my sister, fixing my steely gaze onto her in warning. She growled. _Move Seth, I don't want to hurt you._

_Stop it, Leah. Just don't. You can't change this and attacking Chris would get you nowhere. He's bigger, faster and stronger and I'm sure he doesn't want to hurt you but if you threaten me or put me in danger like you're doing now, he won't care if you're a girl or not. Just calm down. _

_CALM DOWN! Are you fucking CRAZY? Move the fuck over! _She shouted, trying to look for an opening passed me to get to him. _Fucking coward, stop using him as a shield and fight me damn it!_

_Leah, I don't want to fight you and I won't. Like my Pup said, it won't change anything. Seth is having a cub; both he and I are adamant and...happy for that. Yes, timing is unfortunate and we've been careful but it's happening. You can whine and bitch for the next however months or you can actually be there for him through this entire fuck-fest. _Chris gave her an ultimatum but she was hardly listening. _I didn't want this yet, if ever and I'm still uneasy about it but I've just heard his heartbeat for the very first time and I know that I can't regret anything now. _

_Please Lee, I need you through this. I'm sorry this has happened so soon but I can't be sorry for being pregnant. I've never felt so happy about anything. _I admitted, feeling the emotion well up inside me as I spoke. My swallowed back the lump in my throat and Chris pressed his side against mine in comfort. I pushed back against him, wanting him closer.

_You have your whole life ahead of you. Why ruin it with a kid?_ She asked, dumbfounded. Hurt flashed through me and I knew they all felt it.

_Ruin my life? What life? I'm a wolf, Leah, after high school, I'll get a job. There's no college for me. It wouldn't make a difference whether we had a cub now or in three years time. I'm maturer than most 18-year-olds and we both know that cash isn't a problem either because of the inheritance we just got off grandma. Please Leah, just be happy for us._ I begged. She growled.

_I won't stand here and watch you throw your life away. I can't support you in this._ She spat before turning about-face and leaping deeper into the forest. I felt my heart sink and bitter disappointment and sadness coursed through me. I whimpered softly and bowed my head. Chris rubbed my neck with his head and licked my nose. I instinctively burrowed deeper into him, my face hidden under his neck.

_Seth?_ A voice tentatively called as I felt someone step closer. Chris growled above me and I untucked my head from beneath his to look at who broke the long silence. Brady and Collin stood there, their brown and tan wolves looking between Chris and I through cautious eyes. _We're sorry about Leah. _

_It's alright, I guess. It wasn't your fault._

_We just wanted to say that we're really happy for you guys. We can't wait to be uncles. _Collin spoke, flashing us a wolfy grin. I couldn't help but return it and nodded in thanks. _Well...we've got patrol so we'll see you later, okay?_

_Sure, thanks guys._

_I can't say I'm happy about this._ Jacob spoke up, making his way to stand in front of us. Chris growled lowly but not threateningly. Jacob brushed it off as being protective of me before he turned his gaze to mine. I was dreading what eh was about to say..._ But this is your decision and your life. I can't dictate to you what to do with it, even being your alpha. Leah will come around, Seth. I'm not happy but I'll support you fully._

_M_y body sagged with relief and I tentatively walked up to my alpha, head low in submission. When I reached him, I lifted it slightly, nudging the underside of his chin with my nose. _Thank you, Jacob. _He nudged me back, nipping my ear slightly and I knew then that I truly had my alpha's blessing and somewhat forgiveness.

_We've still got things to figure out with this and we'll put some more work into finding things in the pack histories to help you out. _He assured me. I nodded. Tentatively, glancing up at Chris in caution, Jacob moved his head towards my stomach. Chris shifted slightly uneasy but didn't move or protest. He just watched extra carefully as Jacob gently butted his nose against my bump. His wonder and awe were apparent and I smiled at it. _Wow, that's kinda weird but spectacular all the same. Congratulations, Seth._

With that, most of the other wolves descended to me, making Chris finally move to my side to keep an even closer eye on the wolves giving em attention. Each one took their turn to say their congratulations in their minds and to give my stomach a soft nudge with their noses, almost as if if acceptance and familiarity. Each other their thoughts seemed to lighten after the action and I could see that their wolves were growing excited at the prospect of a cub in the pack.

Chris grew uneasy again after all the wolves returned inside and I wondered why. He was looking at something and when I turned to look at it as well, I knew what his problem was. Paul sat a few yards away from us, watching us carefully whilst his mind betrayed nothing of what he was thinking at the moment. Nervousness and anxiety coursed through me but I knew that it wasn't just mine. Paul was Chris' brother and I knew that his acceptance and support would mean a lot to Chris. I gave him a reassuring lick to his muzzle but he never took his eyes from Paul as he slowly got to his feet and made his way over to us.

_You know how hard this is going to be, don't you? _Paul asked after a tense few minutes of silence. My gaze snapped to him but he was looking at Chris, who nodded. _Do you? This is a big responsibility and one for life. You're going to be scared out of your mind but I know you can do it, well, you're going to have to do it because no brother of mine will become the killer of an innocent baby. _

_I would never ask Seth to do that. _Chris mumbled. Paul nodded.

_I know...I'm disappointed, because despite what you think Seth, you DO have your whole lives ahead of you but that's irrelevant now; it's happening and nothing I do or say will change that fact. All I can say is that...I'm happy for you guys and I hope I get to claim favourite uncle privileges in the kid's future otherwise there will be hell to pay._

For the second time in ten minutes, relief flooded not only my body but Chris' as well at his brother's teasing words. I grinned wolfishly as Chris and Paul did some sort of nose bump, perhaps the wolf equivalent to a fist bump in wolf form. Then Paul continued to play wrestle with him for a few seconds before letting him come back to my side. He looked at us both, smiling.

_We best get in there before they come back out. Oh, and don't worry about Leah, Seth. If she doesn't come around in a few days, I'll kick her ass for you. _Paul assured me and I couldn't help but chuckle and thank him, ignoring the sadness that gripped me at the thought of my sister's parting words.

_Thanks, Paul...but I can't control the kid's favourites later on. You'll have to earn that right._ Chris laughed. I sensed the determination and challenge surge through Paul and I had to roll my eyes. That guy loved a good challenge.

_You're on, Tyler. Boy or girl, I've teach him all he needs to know._

* * *

**So what did you think to the pack reactions? Isn't Leah just a bitch? :P She has her own personal selfish reasons for not standing by him. They'll come out later :)**

**Please send me a review to tell me what you thought! Thanks!**

**Love  
****MrsWolfPack  
****x**


	29. Den

**~~~ Rest in Peace, Our Angel ~~~**

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**12:07pm May 2nd 2012...**

**Our family (you know who you are) lost Our Angel on this tragic day, which happened to be his birthday. He lost his battle with cancer, leaving behind a loving, devoted husband, two wonderful, beautiful sons and more loyal friends than anyone could possibly count, at only age 24.**

**Matt, I know you won't be reading this as we are but I believe you are watching over my shoulder as I type. We will miss you, mourn for you and in an unpredictable amount of time, move on from our pain but you will never be forgotten. You're memory will live forever through your husband and children, as will our love and adoration for you. I know you're looking down on us, watching over your beautiful family attentively. I vow to be there for your Seth whenever he needs me, for as long as he needs me. He has become like a brother to me. May the spirits guide your Rich through his pain. **

**I hope that you have found true peace and are settled with your fellow angels. Rest in peace, my friend. **

**I miss you  
****I love you  
****Chelsea  
****xxx**

**If, like us, you have suffered the loss of a loved one because of the abomination that is cancer, you will know the pain and grief we are feeling. One of Matt's final requests was for people to help future cancer suffers by donating to cancer research. I will be doing this. This is, not only my plea, but his family's plea as well to those of you who truly care and want to defeat cancer once and for all. Please donate so that future families will not have to go through the heartbreak we are currently enduring.**

**Thank you for reading  
****Chelsea  
****xxx**

* * *

**~~~ Rest in Peace, Our Angel ~~~**

* * *

**Enjoy a chapter filled with fluff, Everyone! :3**

* * *

**Previously in Clouded Joy...**

_For the second time in ten minutes, relief flooded not only my body but Chris' as well at his brother's teasing words. I grinned wolfishly as Chris and Paul did some sort of nose bump, perhaps the wolf equivalent to a fist bump in wolf form. Then Paul continued to play wrestle with him for a few seconds before letting him come back to my side. He looked at us both, smiling._

We best get in there before they come back out. Oh, and don't worry about Leah, Seth. If she doesn't come around in a few days, I'll kick her ass for you._ Paul assured me and I couldn't help but chuckle and thank him, ignoring the sadness that gripped me at the thought of my sister's parting wor__ds._

Thanks, Paul...but I can't control the kid's favourites later on. You'll have to earn that right_._ _Chris laughed. I sensed the determination and challenge surge through Paul and I had to roll my eyes. That guy loved a good challenge._

You're on, Tyler. Boy or girl, I've teach him all he needs to know.

* * *

**Chapter 28**

**~ Den ~**

* * *

**Seth's Point of View**

Okay, so I was completely frustrated out of my mind. This wolf pregnancy hasn't been going on for three months yet and I wanted it to end. Despite the fact that, in my wolf form, I was absolutely massive, my stomach remained its plump, slightly bloated appearance in my human form but that's where the differences ended in regards to that. I still felt like a beached whale even in human form and it was weird, feeling like I had an invisible cub bump. I go to put my hand on it and it's not there. Sometimes I even panic over it. It's strange.

Another thing that was completely doing my head in was my ability to make a new mash up of food everyday and actually like it. I knew for a fact that had I not been pregnant and was eating such things like Strawberry with gravy or fish with vanilla ice cream I'd be sick within minutes. But no, cubs like these concoctions and so that's what they'll get. I just hoped that he or she ate normally when they were born. Chris found it increasingly amusing with the things I could come up with.

It was becoming a nuisance being around the pack. They kept thinking I was this fragile doll but I was a wolf just like them damn it, I could pull out my own chair and seat myself easily on the sofa or even pee by myself! They were always hovering whenever they were around so I'd taken to just staying at home to avoid them. Chris, who was grateful for the support and care they were showing me, though I'd say over-protectiveness, was just sitting back and chuckling to himself about everything, amused by the verbal abuse I gave my pack brothers on a daily basis.

My wolf had become more active within me. His instincts were haywire at the minute, knowing that his cub would be here at some point. As wolves and spirit warriors, one of our major needs was to procreate and mine had managed to do that. He was proud and excited. He wanted to meet his offspring and I wanted to meet mine as well. There was no other feeling like it when I felt my baby move inside of me. It was wondrous and I never tired of feeling the life Chris and I had created.

Now I just needed to do one thing...

* * *

**Chris' Point of View**

I groaned when I realised he wasn't in bed with me anymore. Sighing heavily, I threw the comforter from my body and lithely jumped to my feet, sparing a brief glance at the bedside clock as I made for the door. Great, it was only three in the morning and he felt he had to do this _now?_ Sometimes I wondered what ran through his head. Other times, I just didn't want to know.

Over the last few weeks, Seth had been skipping out during the night. He said it was a necessity but I digress. He was looking for the perfect location to have the cub in the forest and damn, my Pup was a picky fucker. Nowhere seemed to satisfy what he wanted and he's nearly scaled the whole of the vegetation surrounding both Forks and La Push. I've told him countless times to wake me up when he got the urge to search but he never did and it was beginning to annoy me. The thought of him out there by himself made me shiver. Yeah, sure, there was always guys on patrol but that wasn't the point. I wanted to be with him for this.

I rushed out the back door, hoping that he hadn't gotten too far from me. Phasing, I caught the tail-end of a conversation, well, more like a lecture coming from Paul and Jake, who were the guys on patrol right now.

_Seth, he's going to be pissed that you came out here by yourself again. __Why don;t you just wake him up? _Paul asked, exasperatedly. It seemed none of them realised I'd phased in yet.

_I didn't want to wake him. He looked peaceful...And I'm not completely helpless. I have to do this for myself_ My pup replied, racing in a south-west direction from where I am. _He'll get over it. Besides, you guys are out here._

_Seth, I doubt it has anything to do with the fact that he thinks you're helpless. I think he just wants to be involved in all this. You're looking for your birthin__g place; he's going to want to help and know where you'll be whilst you give birth. _Jacob reasoned. Seth sighed but didn't answer. It was then that Paul sensed me.

_Oh, hey, Bro. Sensed Seth's absence again?_he asked and I could hear the smirk in his voice when we heard Seth huff. I could sense his apprehension though, thinking I was mad at him.

_Of course I did. Don't worry Seth, I'm not mad for you coming out here, just that you didn't wake me...again. We've talked about this._ I sighed, beginning to make my way in his general direction. I felt him slow down slightly so that I could catch up but I was a ways away yet. For being so big, he sure still can move fast.

_I resent that thought._ He grumbled, seeing what I was thinking. I chuckled and sent him my love.

_Urgh, you guys are nauseating. _Paul groaned, pretending to barf in the undergrowth at his feet. I rolled my eyes at my brother and his over-dramatics.

_Shut the fuck up, Dude. Seth, stay where you are._ I commanded, not liking the fact that he was running from me, whether direct or indirectly. He sighed but did as I asked, sitting at the base of a large oak before lying down in a ball. I pushed my feet faster, not liking the fact that he was in such a vulnerable position. I saw his amused annoyance at my thoughts but I knew he didn't mind really.

When I tore through the distance that was left between us, I was instantly at Seth's side, snuffling against his body before settling my nose against his large cub bump. I whined and as per usual, I received a nudge from my cub. I grinned and pride coursed through me. Seth chuckled and leaned against me as he climbed to his feet. He could run just fine, albeit a little slower than the rest of us but as soon as he lies down, it's nearly impossible for him to get back up on his own. He was so big; he looked magnificent.

_Alright, cool it before he passes out from blush stroke. _Paul laughed.

_Shut up, Paul! _I laughed, shaking my head as I licked Seth's muzzle a few times. He nuzzled against me, whining. _Where were you heading, pup? Got a place in mind?_

He sighed. _No, not really. I was just scouting around. Nowhere feels right; I don;t feel that we'd be safe in the places I've already checked over. _He admitted, closing his eyes.

_You know we'll be on high alert when you have the cub, Seth. That'll all that would matter at the time. Most of us would be phased to ensure your safety and the cub's._ Jacob assured my mate. Seth felt guilty.

_Oh, I know, Jake. I didn't mean__ it like that. I'm sure I'd be safe anywhere around here but my wolf...he just __hasn't found the right place yet._

_We could help, if you'd like? _Paul offered, unusually soft voiced for speaking to someone who wasn't Rachel, Alex or I. Seth sent him his gratitude.

_Thanks, Paul. I appreciate it but this is something I have to do. I suppose it's the equivalent to a mother nesting and getting ready for her baby by painting the nursery._ Seth mused. Paul snorted.

_What do you know of it? _ He asked, teasingly. Seth giggled mentally.

_Not much really, enough. But digging the den is like doing the nursery. My cub will be born in whatever I dig for them. I want it to be perfect, safe and warm for them._ He replied, reverently. He'd sat down with his head between his front paws again, licking and nudging his stomach affectionately.

_We get that, honestly. Just ask us if you need anything._ Jacob replied, smiling at Seth's actions. He was going to be an amazing father.

_Says you._ Seth laughed, butting my side with his. I chuckled. _Now come on, I want to get this den dug so that I don't have to worry about it anymore. Besides...I-I don't think...it'll be long now._

That certainly got my attention and my head snapped to his. I detected slight fear from him but mostly excitement and love. Or perhaps that fear was just a reflection of my own and really, he wasn't scared whatsoever. Either way, I became anxious at his words. I could sense that the other two were also but still excited.

Paul and Rachel had been amazing since they found out. One of the main things they insisted on was decorating the cub's nursery, since they think they owe me for painting Alex's. I said they didn't owe me anything but they insisted. Rachel was excited, maybe even more so than Seth and that was saying something. It was the only thing she went on about anymore, making plans for this and scheduling sometime to do that. It was always exhausting talking to her now because she wanted to know things that I had no idea about yet, like what his first pair of shoes was going to be and whether we'd home-school him or send him to public school. I mean, give the poor cub a chance to get here first. She wouldn't relent though until Paul interfered.

Jacob's excitement has been fast growing as well, though thankfully, he wasn't as bad as his sister. He was also more protective of him as well, making sure that he was okay constantly. One thing Seth wasn't happy about was the fact that he'd been taken off the active wolf patrol roster. It wasn't something that I had thought about and was grateful that Jacob had. I didn't want my pup out there, at risk of running into a vampire at any time, whilst he's carrying my cub. My wolf both quivered and growled at the thought. It was bad enough that he had to be out to scout for this stupid den but I knew that this was a necessity, hence why I had demanded he wake me up when he needs to come out. He's too stubborn though.

_Can we please get going? I'm getting antsy. _Seth pleaded, tugging on my ear. I chuckled but nodded. _Come on, let's check over that way._

I don't know how long we ran for but I was aware of the sun rising high into the sky above us. Shadows danced and swept across the forest floor, shooting beams of light through the tree canopies. It was fascinating and beautiful to watch the rays of sunlight dance and illuminate my Pup's fur coat. He's never looked so beautiful before.

_Dude, you've turned into such a pussy_. Paul laughed, teasingly. I growled at him and I heard Seth and Jacob snicker.

_Like you can talk, Lahote. _I snorted, shaking my head. He didn't answer because he knew I was damn right.

_You're both pussies. Now, Chris, pay attention, Seth's pulling away somewhere. _Jacob ordered, focusing on Seth's mind to make it the focal point within the pack mind. I was instantly alert and working my feet faster to catch up to him. He seemed to be running with purpose now, like he'd sensed something...

Rushing water could be heard a few miles off in the distance. The sound was soothing and I found myself gravitating towards it. Seth seemed to react the same and his wolf seemed very alert and interested with the sound. His pace quickened and I could feel the interest and sense the safety building up within him.

_Have you found it?_ Paul asked, mildly excited as well as curious as he searched our thoughts. I could sense Jacob doing the same.

_Yeah, I think so._ Seth replied breathlessly as he sniffed the air around him. I stayed close to his side, half keeping an eye on him as well as the surrounding area for any danger. I couldn't have my Pup in jeopardy.

I knew the moment we breached the tree-line that we had found the place where our cub would be born into this world. Seth's whole body relaxed the second we stepped foot onto the grassy terrain beneath us. I marvelled at the small mountain stream flowing down the stone of the mountain. I didn't even realise we had run this far, to the mountains or that this place even existed.

It made sense for the den to be here, from a strategic point of view. We were protected on one side, making our job of keeping Seth safe easier. The soil smelled fresh, soft and easy to dig out, making Seth's job easier as well. There was an unlimited water supply, what with the stream and the small lake that it ran into. It was pretty secluded so whatever nourishment we hunted down for Seth and the cub wouldn't be easily detected by real wolves or other carnivorous predators. It was all around perfect.

I stood back, sitting down on the soft, moist soil beside the miniature lake as I fondly watched Seth scout out the entire area. It was fascinating to see him checking every nook and cranny of the place, even going as far as to taste the lake water for contamination. He was nothing but thorough, my Pup.

_Everything to your liking, Pup?_ I called to him, both amused and awed by his thoroughness and critique. He didn't reply, sniffling at the ground next to the stream. _Pup?_

Again, I was ignored but he did brush against me as he passed by, pausing to linger and revel in our touch before trotting over to a massive, hilly mound of earth that was flanked on two sides by the mountain stone and the lake on the other side. I wasn't surprised when I saw him stop in front of the mound and sniff once at it before whining and taking his first couple of scraps and claws at the moist soil with determined purpose. I knew then that he had satisfied his wolf and his 'nesting' had officially begun.

_Stay__ with him until he's had enough for the day. Don't let him over work. Paul and I will run closer around you guys to make sure everything stays safe. Seth's our main priority right now_. Jake ordered, altering his patrol route. Paul, seeing the adjustments in his head, adjusted accordingly and willingly. I grinned at them being cautious and protective of my Pup. I looked back at him and he'd already dug out a decent burrow.

_Do you want any help, Pup?_ I asked, worried that he would hurt himself. Seth rolled his eyes but didn't let up with his vigorous digging.

_No, thank you. I'm good._ He puffed. I suppressed a whine of displeasure and sat back in my previous spot by the lake.

I watched Seth intently, seeing the small burrow grow larger and larger until one of the smaller wolves would be able to fit in it with a light squeeze. I knew it was nowhere near finished because it would have to house Seth, who wasn't small, as well as the cub comfortably. I knew that it was helping Seth to have something to focus on as well. He's been cooped up in the house, barring these scouting sessions, for the last three months because I got overly paranoid when he went out without me.

The sun crept over us and Seth wasn't even halfway done but he was panting in exhaustion and his eyes and movements were becoming sluggish. I wasn't about to let this go on any longer today. He needed his rest. I approached him but he was so focused on his job that he didn't hear me. He yelped in surprise when I touched my muzzle to his hide, which was the only thing of Pup but I could see right now, gently to get his attention. He backed out the den construction, looking frazzled as he lifted his head to peer into my eyes.

_Oh Pup, I should have stopped you sooner. You look s__o tired. Come on, this'll be here tomorrow after you've had plenty of sleep. I'm sure Jacob will have the guys run close to here to make sure it's fine. _I told him, caressing the side of his head with mine.

_But I want to get it finished. Come on, Chr__is._ He whined in return, looking back at the den as I gently ushered him away. I sighed.

_Seth, you're exhausted and hungry. Think of the pup. We'll come back in a few hours, I promise. It'll be fine._ I encouraged him, licking his nose. He whined but conceded, leaning on me slightly as we made our way back home. I knew that it was going to be a longer journey back and I sighed.

_I'll ask one of the girls to cook you guys something up. You've been out here, literally, all day. _Embry offered, graciously.

_Thank you, it would be appreciated._ I replied.

It was twilight by the time we got back to my place and Seth was leaning heavily on me now. There was several cars outside and I knew that most of my pack brothers were here. I briefly hoped that Sam and his family weren't here but spotting his black truck, I sighed and rolled my eyes. Great... We stopped just inside the tree-line and I encouraged Seth to phase first so that he could use me to keep him standing. He was nearly asleep already. I phased and quickly wrapped my long arms around him. He sagged into my chest and I kissed the top of his head. The back door opened as we breached the tree-line and Jacob came strolling out, peering at Seth with disapproval in his eyes.

"You shouldn't have worked yourself so hard, Seth." he chastised him gently. Seth just smiled sheepishly.

"I want to get it done and want it perfect." he protested, groggily.

"I get that, I do but look at you, you're practically dead on your feet. Come on, the girls have cooked up a storm." he ordered, inclining his head towards the house. I followed behind him, carrying most of Seth's weight over the yard and across the porch.

Several faces turned towards us at our entrance, all looking at Seth with the same displeasure as Jacob, though I don't think he was even coherent anymore. "Pup, do you want to eat now or sleep first?" I asked, peering down at him.

"Hungry." he muttered. I nodded to myself and helped him over to a chair. Emily placed a heaping place of food in front of us but neither really paid any attention to what we were eating. Seth inhaled his; I doubt it even touched the sides of his mouth. No one spoke much whilst we ate and as soon as Seth was finished, his head was on my shoulder and he was fast asleep. I quickly finished off my dinner and scooped him up into my arms. He snuggled closer to me as I took him to bed.

I tucked him in tightly and kissed his lips softly. I felt his lips pucker against mine, despite his deep sleep and I grinned, pecking his forehead before pulling away. He reached out to me with a groan but I shushed him and he fell back into a deep sleep. Smiling to myself, I switched the light off and left him to sleep, knowing that he would be out for the entire night now.

"He settled?" Rachel asked, rocking Alex on her hip. I smiled and nodded, tickling his side. He giggled.

"Yeah, hardly even stirred. I shouldn't have let him go on for so long. He just looked so into it and determined to get it finished." I sighed, walking passed Brady as he rifled through my fridge. I plucked the beer he reached in to grab out of his hands, grumbling, "Get your own damn beer, it's mine. You're as bad as Paul, I swear to God."

"But you get all the best stuff. I swear you buy the Ateara grocery out as soon as a delivery comes in before we're able to salvage some for ourselves." Brady replied, pouting hard. I mock pouted back at him and took a sip of my beer, smirking. He glared at me.

"I get the good stuff as well but that's one of the perks to working there and having to be in charge of the deliveries that come in." Quil piped up, grinning. I chuckled.

"Shut up, Dude, no one asked you." Brady grumbled, making everyone laugh. To show him I was teasing, I reached into the fridge and then threw him a beer. He caught it expertly with a grin and nod in thanks.

"Now shut up your whining." I ordered, jokingly.

"It can't be long for the cub, right? I wanna meet him." Claire asked, excitedly. "Will he be a puppy or a baby?"

I looked over at her. "I'm not sure. Possibly a puppy." I replied. She beamed.

"I can't wait to play with him." She gushed. Emily chuckled.

"Claire, sweetie, even though he'll be a puppy, he's still a baby. None of us are probably going to see the cub or Seth for a while after the birth." She explained. I didn't know whether that was fact or not.

"So I won't get to play with the puppy?" Claire asked, teary eyed.

"Probably not, Claire. It all depends." I told her, smiling. She sighed and nodded, crestfallen. Quil pulled her close and kissed the side of her head.

"Where did he dig the den?" Rachel asked me, curiously.

"Next to the mountainside; a good few miles away. I don't know why but it just felt right, to both of us. I felt I could protect him better there and they'll have everything that they'll need as well. It's next to a massive stream and lake. It's pretty secluded." I explained. Jacob nodded with my assessment.

"If you're going tomorrow, I'll come with you and get a feel for the place, that way I can come up with the best ways to keep watch." Jacob suggested. I nodded. "But I'm pretty sure you're tired like Seth so we're all going to clear out, okay? Tell Seth we'll see him tomorrow."

I nodded, "Okay, thanks Jake." I called as he walked towards the door with Bella. Everyone said their goodbyes and left after our alpha. Paul and Rachel gave me a tight hug before they went as well. I had to promise to come by tomorrow to get Alex to leave with them but he did.

I shut up after them and locked all the doors. No one would dare break in but it didn't hurt to have that extra safety and security for Seth. I switched all the lights off except for the kitchen, pouring a glass of ginger ale that Sue made herself and retrieving a pack of crackers from the pantry. These would be for when Seth wakes up. Then I switched the kitchen light off and galloped up the stairs. Seth was still sleeping soundly when I entered the bedroom, on his side with his arms around my pillow, cuddling it to his chest. I smiled at the sight and chuckled, placing the drink and snack on his bedside table before stripping down to absolutely nothing.

Climbing into the bed beside him, he knew I was there instantly, throwing the pillow away from him blindly before reaching for me sleepily. I chuckled. "Easy, Pup, I'm here. Calm down."

"Hmm, missed you…mmm." He mumbled, hardly coherent. I smiled and wrapped my arms around him, pulling him closer to me. he sighed in relief. I lay awake for a few minutes, stroking his back and arms as I listened to his slow, steady heartbeat. I frowned slightly when it began to elevate and his began to get restless against me. I stopped immediately, thinking I was causing this discomfort. I had to admit that the thought hurt…a lot. He then groaned. "No, don stop…"

"Seth?"

"Feels good…" he sighed, snuggling closer.

"You should be asleep." I chastised lightly. He gave a simple moan in response and I had to close my eyes so that I could will my body not to react to the sound of our mate. Having said that, said mate wasn't helping matters much.

He was slowly dragging his legs up my thigh, rubbing and teasing in exactly the right places and making me increasingly hot for him. His face turned into my neck and he began to plaster small, soft kisses across the skin, causing shivers and goosebumps to appear on my skin. I knew that I had to put a stop to this before I could let it escalate further but my inner wolf was encouraging his behaviour. The man in me though won out.

"Pup, stop it." I warned, trying to make my voice stern but I don't know whether I quite achieved it, rather a breathy one. He whined. "I mean it, you need to sleep."

"No I don't." he whined, petulantly. I rolled my eyes at him and his stubbornness.

"Yes, you do. Don't make me restrain you." I threatened. I could feel him grin against my neck and his hardness pressed into my hip.

"Mmm, promise?" he murmured, sultry. I bit my lip in hopes of forcing myself not to react to his seductive tone and sensual ministrations.

"Seth." I dead-panned. He whined again, needfully and my wolf began to claw and snarl at the surface, wanting to please and pleasure our mate.

"But I'm not tired and I want you. I'm so horny, Baby, please?" he whimpered, grinding his thigh into my crotch as he nipped and nibbled my neck. I fought back a growl. "I know you want to. I can feel your wolf."

"Seth, you're so tired, I know you are." I protested again but I could feel myself reacting in spite of myself, my hardness growing against his thigh. He moaned as he felt it and pushed his legs harder against me. "Seth..."

"Please? I need you." he breathed in my ear, sultrily. His warm breath fanned across my neck and chest, sending intense shivers throughout my entire body. His scent bombarded my senses and my eyes rolled back in my head. Fuck, he smelled so good, better than anything I've ever smelt before. "Chris...please...fuck me."

Those words were my undoing. I growled deeply and gripped the thigh that was thrown over me, bucking my hips up so that he could feel all of me. He keened and pushed back. My mouth smothered his and I plundered his mouth with my tongue, swirling and sucking on his own as I dominated him. I swallowed his continuous moans, helping him grind harder and harder into me by my tight grip on his thigh. He tried to pull me with him as he moved to his back but I prevented him, tightening my other arm around his torso and he groaned in protest. He tried again and again but I wouldn't let him.

"Chris..." he whined, becoming more persistent.

"Come here." I growled finally, flipping him over to his other side as I pulled him taut to my chest. No amount of skin between us wasn't touching and my mouth found purchase on his neck, suckling on the imprint mark resting against his tendon. He gasped loudly and arched into me. I wasn't surprised when thick, creamy spurts of cum shot across the bed sheet in front of my Pup as he screamed my name over and over.

I gave him no time to rest, grasping one of his thighs in my hand and pulling it up and over mine as I lay snuggled up to his back. He was wide open for me and I had full access to everything. He pushed his backside into my crotch, begging for it silently and I chuckled, licking and nipping his sensitive neck. One of my hands, which was wrapped around his torso, reached up and circled his nipple a couple of times, tweaking the hard bud between my fingers until he cried out in ecstasy. My other hand crept down his stomach, teasing his ridges and contorts as it descended towards his semi-hard member. I sprung to full mast at my touch and he groaned.

"That feel good, Pup?" I whispered in his ear. He shivered.

"So good..." he moaned, thrusting up into my hand as I pumped him a couple of times. He whimpered when I let him go, only to gasp when I cupped his sac and massaged. "Oh god...Chris, please, please I need you so much..."  
"Okay Pup, hold on." I murmured, reaching behind me for the lube I always had on my bedside just in case. He hummed when he heard the top cap pop open and he held his hand out. I smirked and squirted a generous amount into his palm. I threw the bottle across the room, making him giggle as he reached back to grasp my cock. I moaned as he pumped me slowly, making it slick for him. I gently batted his hand away and he sighed, shakily in need as I lifted his thigh higher with my arm and placed my head at his entrance.

"Mmm, Chris..." he moaned as I pushed against him gently.

"You ready Pup?" He nodded eagerly and pushed back, trying to take me in. I chuckled and pushed forward, penetrating him easily. Fuck, he was still so tight...It didn't matter how much we did this. I think it was the wolf healing. Fucking awesome.

I slipped in further and we both groaned at the feeling of me sinking into his enticing heat. For some reason, his scent was always more potent when I was inside of him. It sent my wolf crazy every time but I held him back. I wanted to make love to my Pup tonight. Once he'd adjusted, though it didn't take that long, I began to rock against him softly, hardly withdrawing before sliding deeper into him. He moaned softly into his pillow, his hand massaging my backside as he rocked back into me.

I peppered the sensitive skin of his neck and shoulders with loving kisses, paying close attention to his ear and mating mark. I increased my pace slightly as his breathing quickened and he clenched around me rhythmically. His member was weeping heavily. His hand began to push on my ass, urging me to drive deeper and harder into him so I did. He cried out and threw his head back with his lip between his teeth. A light sheen of sweat began to form on his brow and I licked a line up his cheek, capturing his essence. He groaned and pushed his cheek towards me so I did it again.

"Hmm, he's moving..." he whispered, grabbing my hand to place it on his stomach. Despite the fact that he didn't show nearly at all in this form, the cub could still be felt when you placed a hand on his stomach. It was so magical. I beamed and closed my eyes, continuing my rocking thrusts as I felt our baby move inside my mate. The faster he moved, the faster I thrust and Seth cried out, reaching up to grip my hair in his hand.

"Oh god...mm, I'm gonna cum...so close." he moaned, twisting his head in search for mine. I pressed my lips to his and reached for his cock, stroking it slow but firmly. He whimpered into our kiss and with a swift swipe across his swollen head, he moaned loudly, yanking my hair slightly as he released over the sheets again. He constricted around me like a snake and I groaned, grunting as I released my seed deep within him. My wolf howled in pleasure and pride whilst we panted together. My head was buried deep into his neck and my nose brushed his mating mark softly every few seconds.

It was during the long bout of silence that I heard his breathing even out and deepen. I smiled against his neck and gently pulled out of him. Even in sleep, he was conscious of everything I did to him and he groaned in protest. I hushed him gently, stroking his face. He quietened down again and sighed, snuggling back against me as I settled as well. I buried my face in his hair, inhaling deeply until his scent sent me into a deep, peaceful sleep...

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	30. Fallout

**Hey, hey, my Lovelies!**

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**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight! Unfortunately…D:**

**Without further ado…Enjoy!**

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_**Previously on Clouded Joy…**_

"_Oh god...mm, I'm gonna cum...so close." he moaned, twisting his head in search for mine. I pressed my lips to his and reached for his cock, stroking it slow but firmly. He whimpered into our kiss and with a swift swipe across his swollen head, he moaned loudly, yanking my hair slightly as he released over the sheets again. He constricted around me like a snake and I groaned, grunting as I released my seed deep within him. My wolf howled in pleasure and pride whilst we panted together. My head was buried deep into his neck and my nose brushed his mating mark softly every few seconds._

_It was during the long bout of silence that I heard his breathing even out and deepen. I smiled against his neck and gently pulled out of him. Even in sleep, he was conscious of everything I did to him and he groaned in protest. I hushed him gently, stroking his face. He quietened down again and sighed, snuggling back against me as I settled as well. I buried my face in his hair, inhaling deeply until his scent sent me into a deep, peaceful sleep..._

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**Chapter 29**

**Fallout**

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**Seth's Point of View**

My arm stretched across the bed despite knowing that it would be met by cold sheets and emptiness. I sighed and rolled over to face his side of the bed, his pillow tightly tucked to my chest as I opened my eyes to confirm what my mind and imprint bond was telling me. Chris was gone. I always felt when he left me; our bond had grown so strong as the pregnancy progressed. I knew the moment he got out of bed to go off on patrol and hated that he had to leave me at any point.

I glanced over at the bedside clock and sighed. It was only six forty-five but I knew that I wouldn't get back to sleep without Chris lying by my side so I decided to hell with it and to get up. I slid out of bed and stretched hugely, groaning in the process as a few bones popped. I let my breath out in a huge gush as I relaxed and scratched the back of my head idly as I made towards the bathroom. I showered slowly, letting the texture of the water rush over me, soothing me. One of the things I hated about being a wolf was the fact that we ran at such high temperatures. Even scalding water was only lukewarm now.

I got out when the water began to feel like ice belting against my back (when I bet it was only lukewarm) and dried as slowly as I washed. I knew Chris wouldn't be back for a good few hours so I had plenty of time. Pulling on a pair of well worn sweats that hung low on my hips, I trotted down the stairs and into the kitchen, heading straight for the coffee pot. Whilst the coffee was brewing, I turned towards the fridge and pulled everything I fancied for breakfast, just no bacon. Bacon had become nauseating to me in these last couple of weeks and couldn't be in the same house if it was cooking. I munched on some dry crackers as I scrambled some eggs, knowing that my morning sickness would be abated by it.

Halfway through breakfast, I was interrupted by a soft knock on the front door. I glanced at the clock again, frowning when I saw it was only half seven. I shrugged and got up to go to the door. A smallish, thin silhouette moved through the frosted glass of the door and I opened it, revealing a young girl with brown hair and striking green eyes. She seemed nervous and her eyes widened at the sight of me.

"Oh, uh, sorry. Did I knock at the wrong house?" She asked, frowning as she leaned back to glance at the house number. I smiled at her pleasantly when she looked back at me and she relaxed a little.

"That depends on who you're looking for." I replied, kindly. She bit her lip and blushed.

"Umm...Chris Tyler? He lives here, right?" she asked, unsure. I grinned.

"Yeah, he does but he's out at the minute. He won't be back for a few hours though." I told her, regretfully. She seemed a little lost to be honest. "Hey, you wouldn't happen to be Hayley, would you?"

"Oh, yeah. Hayley Marvin. Erm, I guess I could come back later. Thanks." she said and began to turn away.

"Oh, hey..." I called out to stop her. She turned to look at me, looking kinda hopeful. She had to have come over for a reason.

"Yes?"  
"Did you want to come in? I just made fresh coffee or you could have anything else we have. You look like a girl who could do with a chat." I offered, watching as a small, grateful smile erupted onto her face and she nodded. I grinned and opened the door wider for her to come passed me. She lingered behind me, nervously as I closed the door and inclined my head towards the kitchen. "So did you want coffee?"

"Oh, um...I don't really like it actually." She replied, biting her lip. I smiled at her and went to the fridge.

"That's alright. Did you want tea, soda, water, milk, apple or grape juice?" I asked.

"Grape would be awesome, thanks." She said, talking a seat next to the one I had obviously been using, since it still had my breakfast lying in front of it. "Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to take you from your meal."

"Don't worry about it. It'll be gone in no time." I assured her, placing the tall glass of juice in front of her before taking my seat again. She watched me in fascination as I ate my breakfast. Her eyes were wide at my speed.

"Does it touch the sides- I mean, shit, sorry. That was rude." She blushed, looking away as I chuckled and smiled at her.

"Don't be sorry. A lot of us guys eat this fast. We're always hungry but yes, it touches the sides, if only for a second." I teased, winking at her. She blushed harder and giggled.

"So what are you doing in my brother's house?" She asked, curiously.

"I live here now. Chris' my boyfriend, well, fiancé I guess." I told her, chuckling. Her eyes widened.

"Oh...So you're Seth?"

"That's me."

Silence enveloped us then as she fidgeted on her stool. I glanced at her every so often out the corner of my eyes. She definitely seemed nervous or spooked about something but I didn't want to ask her and put her on the spot. I got up and washed up my dishes, cleaning the breakfast mess I made. She watched me the entire time, curiously. I refilled her glass for her and she smiled in thanks. I got my own glass of apple juice and sighed in satisfaction as I took the first couple of gulps.

"Is...there anything in particular that you wanted to see Chris for?" I asked. She shrugged.

"Just to talk, I guess."

"I have a good ear, if you want but I'll understand if you want to wait for Chris." I offered, gesturing towards the living room as I made my way through there.

"I wouldn't want to burden you with my problems." she replied softly. I looked her over and shook my head, beckoning her towards em as I took as seat on the sofa.

"You wouldn't be. I'm _Chris'_ boyfriend, remember." I reminded her with a meaningful look. She chuckled and nodded, sitting down beside me.

"So...how much about Chris' past do you know?" She asked, worriedly. I smiled.

"All of it. He tells me everything." She nodded.

"Do you know why he left us?" She asked, turning away from me. I grabbed her hand.

"Yeah...I'm sorry you had to see him that way." I replied, softly. She looked back at me with teary eyes and smiled gently.

"I...I still have nightmares...about finding him again but this time he...he wasn't-" she broke down crying and I pulled her into my chest, cradling her head as I rocked the two of us back and forth.

"Shh, it's okay...He's okay now. Calm down." I murmured in her ear over and over again for the longest time. Eventually, she calmed down to soft sniffles and hiccups whilst I rubbed her back. She didn't remove herself from my chest when she calmed down completely. "You know he loves you, right?"

"He hasn't spoken to any of us since we moved into our own house." She pointed out, sniffling. I sighed.

"He's had a lot to deal with. It's nothing any of you have done." I assured her. She nodded.

"Do you think...if he walked in now that he'd be happy to see me?" She asked, child-like. I pulled back and peered down at her.

"I'm sure he will be, yeah/" I replied. She smiled and nodded.

"Sorry for snorting all over you." She giggled, blushing madly as she wiped her eyes. I chuckled.

"Don't worry about it." I laughed. "We've been here for longer than I expected. You want to stay for lunch?"

Her eyes widened and she looked over at the clock on the wall. She blushed madly and I knew where her thoughts were. "Oh my God, we were sat here for three hours whilst I cried? I'm so sorry for wasting your morning!" She gasped, looking at me with remorse. "Wait, you have lunch at 10.30?"

I chuckled. "I'm constantly hungry. I guess it's more like brunch." I admitted, being the one who blushed this time. She giggled and stood from the couch.

"Okay, I guess I could eat something. I hope you're a good cook." she teased. I stuck my tongue out at her.

"I am, I'll have you know. You'll see. I was thinking grilled cheese sandwiches with some soup, sound good?" She nodded and we both headed towards the kitchen.

Leaning down into a drawer for the bread, I was overcome by a weird tingling sensation across my entire body. It felt like...dread or anticipation or...or something. I felt like something was about to happen but I had no idea what. My head spun and I closed my eyes briefly to dispel the haze. The urge to phase was powerful and I had to grip the edge of the counter to stop myself from exploding in the middle of our kitchen and hurting Hayley in the process. I glanced over my shoulder at her. She was obliviously cutting cheese for the sandwiches and I thanked the lord.

Fighting off the feeling, which probably wasn't a good idea, I took to the bread we'd need and set it on the counter. I was walking over to the pantry to retrieve everything I'd need to make the soup from scratch when I double over in pain. It emanated from my stomach and I clutched at it as worry and fear for my cubs gripped my heart entirely. I took deep breaths and tried to will the pain away but it was only growing in intensity. I bit my lip to stop me from crying out but I must have made some kind of noise because Hayley's head whipped around to look at me and her eyes widened.

"Seth? What's wrong?" she shouted, rushing over to me. I groaned in pain and shook my head at her.

"It's nothing, I swear. I'm fine." I replied, strangled.

"It's obviously not nothing. You're in pain. Should I call Chris? Where's his number? Is it in your phone?" she asked in a rush, zooming over the phone. "Or maybe I should call my mom? I don't know. What should I do?"

"Relax. I'm fine. See." I told her as I straightened up. The pain had subsided and I was able to catch my breath. She eyed me wearily, phone in hand as I approached her and took the electronic device from her hands.

"You were in so much pain. Maybe you should sit down or go to the doctor. I'd drive you but I haven't got a car yet." she mused, looking me over closely. I sighed and shook my head.

"No, please, let's just make lunch."

"You mean brunch?"  
I chuckled. "Right."

She nodded and turned away from me, seeming relieved that I was fine. I knew that it was only on the surface though. I didn't want to worry her. My body still screamed at me to phase and the ache in my lower abdomen was alarming me very fast. I tried to think of a way I could leave without her becoming suspicious but as the urge strengthened and my body began to vibrate excessively to the point I was blurring where I stood, I knew that they would be no way.

I clenched my fist and rushed towards the back door, hearing her calling out after me as I sped through the backyard towards the safety of the tree line. The pain came back triple force and I collapsed to my knees a little inside the cover of the trees. Thankfully I wasn't in her line of sight but that wasn't stopping her from coming out here after me. I had to get further in. trying with difficulty to ignore the pain, I scrambled across the forest floor, glancing behind me for any sign of her. Thankfully, there wasn't.

After a very potent, powerful twinge in my stomach, my wolf burst forth and I landed on all four paws. Then I was running without my conscious consent. I didn't know where I was going; or rather, where my wolf was taking me but all I could focus on was the pin in my stomach anyway. My cubs were kicking up a storm beneath me as I raced through the forest and very slowly, my surroundings began to get very clear to me.

I was racing towards the den...

Holy fucking shit, was it time?

My wolf continued to lead me as I freaked out mentally. My thoughts were the only things that I seemed to have any control of. All motor movement was lost to me, run entirely on the instincts of the wolf. I trusted him completely. These were his cubs as much as mine. He would never let them be hurt. I cried out in pain as my lower stomach pulsed and ached but my movements didn't falter. My wolf's main concern was getting us to the den, so that I could have my cubs somewhere safe and protected. The pain became so much that my mind began to become hazy and I was loosing grip on my own thoughts. The last thing I heard in my mind was Chris' panicked shouts as darkness crippled me and despite my unconsciousness, the wolf remained.

* * *

**Hayley's Point of View**

"Oh my God, oh my God, what do I do? He just zoomed right on outta here like a bat from hell!He went into the forest! What if he's hurt? Chris would never forgive me!" I shouted through the house, panicked at Seth's abrupt departure. I contemplated following him but when he disappeared into the tree line, I knew that I couldn't follow. Dad would kick my ass if I went into the forest without someone with me or without some sort of shot gun.

I began to look around the kitchen for anything I could do but came up blank. My eyes lingered on the phone and I rushed over, begging with whoever was listening that someone I knew would pick up. I thought that it was doubtful but I fumbled with the phone anyway, scrolling through their phone book until I found a number I would recognise. After a few seconds, I didn't and I wanted to scream in frustration and panic. I decided to just call mom.

"Hello?"

"Mom, mom I'm at Seth's house- I mean, Chris' house. You need to get over here right now!" I shouted in a panic, tears collecting in my eyes as I thought of something bad happening to Seth. A lump formed in my throat.

"I'm on my way."

That's what I loved about my mother. She could sense that there was no time for questions, that the situation couldn't afford any time wasted. I chewed on my fingernails as I waited for her to get here but we only lived a couple of streets away and I knew that she had the car so it didn't take her long. The only thing was, two other cars arrived with hers and I frowned.

My eyes widened when I saw four massive Native American men step out of the vehicles, two from each one. I recognised them all from the group Chris hung out with all the time. I wondered why they were here and stopped for a few seconds to ask my mom something. They obviously didn't like her answer because their heads snapped over to the house and they were running towards me.

I backed away from the front door as it banged open and the man who did it paused when he saw me standing by the stairs. His whole appearance should have scared me, what with him being very muscular and standing at about 7ft but his eyes told me that I had nothing to fear so I relaxed. The three other guys entered behind him and though none of them had the reassuring glint their eyes like the one who was still looking at me, I knew that they wouldn't hurt me.

"What happened? Where's my brother?" an angry, intense looking guy growled at me from the kitchen doorway, probably freaked out from Seth's absence. "Answer me, Little Girl."

"Easy Paul. Calm down. Hayley is it?" the kind man asked me, walking slowly towards me. I swallowed and nodded. "Relax, Sweetie, none of us will hurt you. We're just worried about our brother, Seth. He was here, right? He should have been. Oh, I'm Jacob, by the way."  
"Oh, hi, erm...He was here but...he just left." I replied, vaguely. The angry, intense man, aka Paul, growled in frustration and Jacob shot him a warning look.

"What do you mean, he just left? Did he say where he was going? He shouldn't be out on his own." Jacob asked, worriedly. I bit my lip.

"I don't know; he didn't say but he ran out the back door like a bat out of hell and ran straight into the forest." I explained, feeling compelled to tell this man everything he wanted to know. "He...He was in pain."  
"What do you mean?" Paul asked, glaring at me. I flinched away from his hostility and his eyes softened fractionally. "I'm sorry. Please, why was he in pain?"

"He kept touching his stomach." I mumbled, softly. Paul and Jacob's eyes widened in alarm but also...hopefulness? It was strange. The other two men launched themselves out the back door in a Seth-like fashion and also disappeared into the trees. Jacob and Paul shared a look and a nod.

"Thank you, Hayley. You've been a massive help. We know where he's gone. Maybe you should go home with your mom and wait for Chris to call you?" Jacob suggested, looking over at me. She nodded and held her hand out for me. I took it, watching Jacob and Paul rush out the house after their 'brothers'.

This reservation was so weird...

* * *

**Jacob's Point of View**

_Seth? Seth?_ We kept calling in our minds but received no answer. We had all phased after the knowledge Hayley had departed with and now we were scouring the forest on the way to his den. We couldn't be sure whether he had made it there in time but we were fairly certain that that was where he was headed.

Chris had been on patrol when Quil and Embry phased after leaving us in the house. Those two, Paul and I had gone over to the Tyler house to keep Seth company, knowing that Chris wouldn't be back until three this afternoon. Chris had blown his top when my best friends had phased, abandoning his patrol route to head straight for the den.

He had seen Seth's mind phase to blackness and he began to freak out even more. He tore trees for their erect points I the forest earth and had even decimated a boulder or two on his way to his imprint. He had been on the other side of the reservation though so it was taking some time, too much time. We knew that Seth would be doing this mostly on his own but knowing he was out there without protection had us all in a tailspin.

_Seth, if you can hear us, answer us damn it! _Paul bellowed in our minds, making us flinch. He received no answer.

_Fuck, everyone move your asses and get to him!_ I yelled, pushing my feet faster.

After a few minutes, the tell-tale sound of the flowing stream and lake came rushing through the pack mind. Jared was going to be the first there, having phased after hearing our panicked howls. Both him and Sam were supposed to have stopped. Sam had reunited with us only seconds after Jared had. We all focused in on Jared's mind as he broke the last mile or so towards the den. A soft keening, moaning sound breached his ears (he'd always been the most acute hearer) and we knew in an instant that it was Seth. Clearly, it had begun.

_Seth, it's going to be okay. We're nearly there now. Reply if you can hear me._ Jared called through his head, thinking that the distance between Seth and the rest of us would affect his ability to hear us normally. I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up, since he was once again greeted by silence.

Jared breached the tree-line of the clearing a few minutes later and he scoured the entire area twice before finally looking over at the den entrance. Chris howled loudly into the sky when he saw Seth burrowed deeply into the wolf-made hole. It was definitely where the keening and whimpers were coming from. Jared skidded to a halt a few feet from the den entrance just as two menacing growls sounded. One from Chris, whose protective and possessive instincts were going haywire and I doubt having a dominant wolf near his labouring sub was going to help matters. The other came from the burrowed wolf, a growl of warning.

So Seth wasn't unconscious. But then, why wasn't he answering us? Jared tried to creep forward again but Seth's growl sounded faster and louder than the first one and he jumped back from the entrance in shock. We could all feel his worry; we felt that was as well.

_Get the fuck away from him!_ Chris snarled, launching himself through the tree-line and directly at Jared's shocked form. They tumbled away from the den but neither was really putting any fight into it. Chris sprang off him as soon as he deemed the distance between them and his mate enough. He rushed over to the den entrance and even though Seth's wolf growled, it wasn't as demanding or much of a warning as it was for Jared. He must have sensed Chris being near.

Little by little, Chris inched nearer to the den entrance, whining softly in question and worry. His nose poked in slightly and this time, Seth's growl was one of warning, though he still wasn't present in the pack mind, or at least his thoughts weren't. Chris, taking Seth's warning seriously, moved back a step and laid down outside the entrance, guarding it, his pup and their cubs as they began to enter the world.

We all entered the clearing a few minutes between each other and conjugated around Chris and the den. Seth was still whimpering within and we knew he was in pain as faded twinges of it coursed through the mind like an undercurrent, never allowing us to forget what our pack brother was going through. Chris was feeling the worst of it due to the imprint bond that they also shared. Every time Seth gave a painful whimper, Chris flinched.

_Alright, everyone knows what to do. Paul, Brady, Sam pick up the perimeters. The rest of you do a quick run around the res and then head back to Chris' place. We don't know how long this will take but I want Quil, Collin and Embry to switch off from the first three in about four hours. Seth might be finished by then, he might not be. I need to go speak to the elders, tell them what's going on. _I ordered, taking one last look at the den entrance before sprinting out of the clearing back towards La Push.

I couldn't help wondering how this was going to turn out. The journals that my ancestors kept were next to none and the information in them was even less than that. We were walking into this blindly and I knew that Chris had to be scared out of his mind. The fact that Seth wasn't allowing him very close couldn't have been helping either. There was nothing that any of us could do but wait and it killed all of us, knowing that he was in pain.

I raced around the res looking for my father only to find out that he was summoned to the Tyler household anyway. I could bet that all the elders were there with the imprints, waiting on word on Seth. I phased just inside the tree line and pulled on my shorts. Bella came racing out the back door first, sensing my presence through our imprint bond and she threw herself into my arms. I brought her close and inhaled deeply before picking her up to take her back inside. As I suspected, everyone was there.

"Jake, what's going on? Where my boy?" Sue asked, rushing up to me. I let Bella down so that I could hug Sue.

"Seth's in labour over near the mountains, in the den he dug out. Chris is with him and some guys are running their perimeter to make sure he's safe. He's in pain but there's nothing we can really do about that, as you know." I informed her and she sighed, nodding. Labour pain would be the same in either cases, I was sure. "He's not speaking to us in the pack mind so we don't know exactly what's going on right now but we'll keep him safe, Sue, I promise."

"Okay, that's all I can ask...How's Chris?" She asked, fearfully.

I sighed. "He's...as to be expected. He freaked out and now he won't move from the den entrance. He feels helpless and is cursing himself for putting Seth in this position." I explained, shaking my head at the torment Chris was putting himself through.

"Seth will be okay. He's my little brother, for god's sake." Leah mumbled, peering at the floor.

She was unable to meet my gaze and I knew why. She hadn't been there for Seth during his pregnancy because of her own personal reasons. I didn't condone her behaviour but I could understand why. I just wished that she didn't hurt Seth so much whilst she was dealing with her issues. He could have really done with her being around. I'd let them talk it out later, after Seth was in the all clear. They would need to.

"We know he'll be fine. Everything is just a precaution for now. We don't know how long the birth will take but it happening and we'll be with him for as long as it takes." I told everyone in the room. I saw Dad's pride for me when I caught his gaze.

"Would you...think he'd mind if I go out there too?" Leah asked, hesitantly. I didn't reply to her until she lifted her gaze to me.

"I think he'll like that. Head on out." She nodded and swiftly left the house.

"I can't believe that we're going to have more kids running around here soon." Emily gushed, smiling with Kim. The other imprints nodded. "Come to think of it, we don't really know anything about them. How many there'll be or what they will be. Oh, it's so exciting!"

"Calm down, girls. It could be hours yet." I chuckled, shaking my head at a woman's capacity to overdo things. "Dad, I'm going to head back out there. I'm a little uneasy being in here whilst Seth is like he is."

"Of course, Son. Go on. Tell us everything when you get back." Billy ushered, grinning from ear to ear. I nodded and smiled at everyone, giving Bella a passionate kiss before heading back out the back door.

The pack mind was in shambles when I phased back in but I couldn't pinpoint the main emotion coursing through everyone. Some were excited, others were worried and then Chris was plain freaking out, pacing back and forth outside Seth's den like a mad man. Paul seemed to be the only one who still had his head on, though he was focused intently on Chris.

_Paul? _ I enquired, making my way over to them.

_Jake, hey. Seth went quiet a few minutes ago and hasn't made a sound since. We don't know what that means but we're hoping it's something good. Chris, man, try to calm down a bit. I know how freaked out you are but until we know, I'm sure he's fine. He'll let us know somehow if something is wrong._ He assured his brother but he wasn't listening.

_Just let him be, Paul. He'll be out of it whilst Seth is. Right now, I want to know what's going on inside that den._ I mumbled, breaching the tree-line to the clearing.

The wolves I'd set to run perimeter had come back into the clearing but I was too worried and curious about Seth to really care about their disobedience. They were just as worried as I was. I approached Chris and the den and I knew that he wanted to growl at me. I don't know why he didn't; perhaps because I'm his alpha but either way, he let me saddle up next to him, both of us facing the den entrance.

_Seth, can you hear me?_ I asked, hesitantly. Nothing. No acknowledgement whatsoever. Chris shifted uncomfortably beside me and I brushed my flank against his in brotherly comfort. Wolves strived from physical comfort and I knew that Chris needed a lot of it.

Everything was silent for the longest time and our nerves began to increase with each passing second. Chris had long since moved closer to me, craving that physical comfort as his side rested and brushed against mine constantly. Paul had come over and stood to his other side so that he was wedged between us.

It was then that we heard the most amazing, beautiful sound on this entire planet. There was a light snuffling and then preciously soft whimpers and whines that seemed too young to be Seth's. Suckling could then be heard and my mind exploded as I realised that it was a cub...Seth had successfully birthed a cub and now he was nursing him. Love and pride coursed through me and my brothers howled in joy. Chris was still hesitant but I could feel the slow building joy in his chest. There was slight movement from Seth and then licking could be heard.

It was not a few minutes later that Seth began to whimper again and my heart clenched. We didn't know how many times he would have to go through with this but at least now, when he goes quiet, we know that another cub has joined the pack. My body began to fill with not only my anticipation but the entire pack's as well. Chris seemed lighter with the situation, knowing that Seth had been successful and as far as we know, was completely fine. He still wasn't communicating but I doubt that we'll hear from him until it's all over.

We all too solace in the low, soft noises emanating from the cub suckling from Seth and shuffling around next to him to share his heat. We couldn't see him but we could sense him and we knew he was there. Well, I assumed the cub was a he.

I ordered the wolves on duty to head back out to the perimeters, though they protested slightly. They were torn between being here for the birth of their new nephew or niece and protecting them and their daddy. They left reluctantly whilst I stayed by Chris' side. We lay close to each other, parts of us touching for that comfort we both craved. A couple of hours passed, the sun being our measuring guide as it passed over our heads into the afternoon. Seth had gone quite a couple of times but neither time was accompanied by the movement of a new cub. We began to get worried when four hours passed after the birth of the first cub.

Then everything went to shit as a warning howl pierced the afternoon sky. Mine and Chris' heads snapped up and we both at that moment, Seth let out an exceptionally loud whimper and then everything went quiet. My heart soared again as another bout of shuffling and snuffling began along side the first cub and the new cub's little whines for milk filled me with more love than I ever thought possible. I was torn once again between being here for my pack brother and the newest cub and going out there to fight with my brothers.

_Stay there. We've got this. That boulder leech is back but he won't get anywhere near them, I swear to the both of you._ Paul growled passionately as he darted between trees, blurring with the speed he was going. I knew that I could count on him to lead them all after this danger and also that I would be providing more direct protection for our vulnerable pack brother.

_Okay, but be careful._ I warned. He acknowledged me but threw himself into the chase.

Seth began to whimper again, louder this time as if he was in even more pain than the first two cubs and all I could think about was when this was all going to end...

* * *

**:O ! :O ! :O ! :O !**

**I bet you all hate me :3 But oh well!**

**That's two cubs so far. How many do you think he'll have?**

**I hope you enjoyed enough to review! (I can't wait to hear your thoughts Seth :P)  
Thanks!**

**Love  
****MrsWolfPack  
****x**


	31. Completion

**Hey, hey, my Lovelies!**

**Thank you for all the kind reviews! They mean a lot :3 Only five reviews to go until we reach 200 but the rate you're all going, you'll smash that! :D**

**This is the chapter you've all been waiting for so I hope you all like :D**

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**Without further ado...Enjoy!**

* * *

**Previously in Clouded Joy...**

_Then everything went to shit as a warning howl pierced the afternoon sky. Mine and Chris' heads snapped up and we both cursed. Just at that moment, Seth let out an exceptionally loud whimper and then everything went quiet. My heart soared again as another bout of shuffling and snuffling began alongside the first cub and the new cub's little whines for milk filled me with more love than I ever thought possible. I was torn once again between being here for my pack brother and the newest cub and going out there to fight with my brothers._

Stay there. We've got this. That boulder leech is back but he won't get anywhere near them, I swear to the both of you._ Paul growled passionately as he darted between trees, blurring with the speed he was going. I knew that I could count on him to lead them all after this danger and also that I would be providing more direct protection for our vulnerable pack brother._

Okay, but be careful_. I warned. He acknowledged me but threw himself into the chase._

_Seth began to whimper again, louder this time as if he was in even more pain than the first two cubs and all I could think about was when this was all going to end..._

* * *

**Chapter 30**

**Completion**

* * *

**Paul's Point of View**

Son of a fucking bitch! Of course the douche leech chooses _now_ to make a fucking appearance! Instead of lying beside my brother as his cubs are born, I'm wasting my precious time chasing down a fucking bloodsucker! My pack brothers felt the same. We wanted to be with Seth and Chris, with our family.

Seth had successfully given birth to two cubs but apparently something wasn't right. He was in more pain than the first two and Chris was freaking out, trying to get Seth to talk to us so that he could say what was wrong. Seth's whimpering had escalated to painful yelps and we had no idea what was going on. As far as we knew, the first two cubs were safe, healthy and suckling so really all our focus was on Seth and this next pup. I was fucking hoping that this would be the last. Two was a decent number and three is pushing it but four? That would be overkill. I don't think Chris would cope with going from having no kids and being terrified of them to having four of his own.

_Fuck, Paul, there's more down near the beach. I smell blood…_Quil growled in outrage as he raced down a hill side, ready to strike anything that crosses his line of vision. I growled viciously at the thought of someone dying at the hands of those bloodsuckers, especially whilst we hunted them down.

_Two more near the south border. Embry and I are coming up behind them. They haven't detected us yet._ Sam informed me, deathly calm as he zoned in on the stench of leech.

_Good, keep downwind from them, for fuck's sake. But watch your back, they're scouring everywhere. _I warned before I was side-swiped by a fucking boulder. The wind got knocked out of me as I was launched through the forest twenty feet into a tree. My brothers called out to me in alarm. _Shut the fuck up and concentrate. I'm fine._

I was back on my feet in the next second, my sharp eyes zoning in onto Sparkle Fucker standing not ten feet away. The smug grin on his face made me see red and I roared, springing towards him with every intention of ripping his stone cold, dead heart from his chest. I was startled yet again as I was intercepted whilst airborne but not by any leech. An actual boulder. What the fuck? I shook my head as I scrambled to my feet, my eyes narrowing in confusion and hate as I searched out the leech. He hadn't moved but there was a sizeable boulder lying not far from me that had not been there before.

"You should do research on your enemy before you try and fight them." The leech sneered, making me growl in anger and spring at him again.

I watched, despite my clouded haze of anger, as he raised a hand and with a flick of a wrist, I was thrown off my target, slamming into a tree…Holy shit. I yelped as I felt a couple of my ribs snap clean in half. I lay panting on the forest ground for a couple of seconds before my adrenaline spiked and the instinct 'fight or flight' flared within me. And let's face it, I'm Paul Meraz. You know which I was going to do. I snarled, ignoring the pain in my side as I spun around and began to circle the sucker.

_Paul, we're on our way. We don't know what the fuck that was but he obviously has some sort of gift. __We've eradicated the other bloodsuckers. Just don't do anything stupid._ Sam ordered, racing towards my location. I growled. _I mean it, Paul. Don't!_

The anger, resentment and adrenaline rush keeping the pack mind in a haze was penetrated at that point by an exceptionally loud yelp, followed by loud cussing and intense fear from Chris. My heart clenched with worry and alarm as Chris sprung to his feet, eyes riveted on Seth's den just as everything went quiet from within. As I was distracted, the leech sprung towards me, snarling as he ripped a chunk of fur from my back and clawed deeply into my side. I yelped and whined, jumping away from his attack before twisting and capturing his arm in my mouth. He screamed out as I tore it from his prone body, the sick taste of bleach and sugar saturating my mouth.

We both landed in the other's previous place in the circle and began to rotate again. My eyes were glued to the sparkle fucker opposite me but my mind was pinned on Chris'. His breath was held the longer the silence from his mate continued as we could all feel the rising panic building within him and it was spreading to each and every one of us. In my peripheral, a flash of white was enough for me to dodge the blow aimed towards my side. Another boulder soared above my head, colliding with the heavy oak to my right.

_Holy fuck! That is some freaky shit, he didn't even move!_ Jared exclaimed.

_Gift, remember? Maybe he can…I don't know, move things._ Brady spluttered, not really knowing if he knew what he was harping on about. Quil picked up his line of thought and suddenly the pack mind was flooded by pictures of Jean Grey from the X-Men.

_What the holy fuck, Quil? Why?_ Colin asked, incredulously. Miraculously enough, _Sam_ was the one who picked up on it first.

_Didn't she have like telepathy and shit?_ He asked, unsure. Excitement welled up inside Quil and I was seriously worried about the boy's mental state.

_Dude! I'm perfectly sane! She had telekinesis! Maybe that's his game!_ He shouted, enthusiastically. He didn't hide his excitement and rising respect for the vamp. We all looked at him incredulously. _What? It's cool!_

_We don't give a shit. He'll be dead in a few seconds anyway!_ Embry retorted, disgusted by his friend's respect in vampires.

_Oh come on, you have to admit you thought it was cool! _He crowed. Embry just rolled his eyes and focused onto the leech as he breached the foliage to my right. He leapt over the massive boulder I had narrowed dodged and took his place at my right flank, glaring and snarling at the leech fucker.

"So you decimated my newborns. And with ease also. Must have some experience with them." The douche mused, looking as calm as ever. "No matter…_I'm_ not an insignificant infant!"

Upon his last word, boulders, undergrowth and thick tree branches came flying through the air from all directions. We were lithe and agile enough to dodge the majority but occasionally, we'd be thrown further and further away from the leech by the heavy objects. Leah, being the smallest and fastest of us all, was able to get closer than the rest of us and able to dodge more. Sam's brute strength from being Alpha had made him immovable and didn't even have to dodge. We could hardly see past our own noses, let alone through the flurry of leaves, dirty and god knows what else flying around us to see the leech. Jared had the best eyes though and seemed to be able to keep the sucker in his sights, therefore in all of ours.

In our incapacity, the leech took full advantage, springing into the fray. He was able to leap and bound through the rumble easily, which pissed me off royally. Every time one of us had a chance to snap our jaws around his limbs, a fucking branch or rock would smack us in the fucking face! Fucking coward! Yelps and whines could be heard from all around me. Brady was able to tear a finger of the fuckers hand before his leg was snapped. We shouted out to him as his mind faded away and he phased back to human form.

I growled viciously and barged my way through the thick chaos whizzing around our heads to stand over Brady's prone form, which was panting on the forest floor as he gripped his leg. I cringed at the white bone sticking from his shin and knew that it would have to be set back again if he was ever going to walk right again.

_Colin, get the fuck over here and help Brady! _I ordered, growling at the large copper wolf shoulder barging a thick branch away from him not 15 feet away from me. He was by my side in a second and had phased to help our brother. I stood over them, protecting.

The fucker began to play with us then, keeping the rest of us at bay with his wall of nature whilst he fought a couple of us at a time. He was going to regret the day he toyed with us; we could be just as dirty. Jacob saw the thought flash through my mind and bounded in our direction after giving Chris a brief explanation. I smirked, knowing the sucker's time was limited now. Another loud yelp sounded to my left and my head snapped in that direction, seeing Quil phased back human and laying limp on the ground, not moving. Fear shot through me but thanks to Embry, he was close enough to see our brother's chest moving.

Colin phased beside me and urged me back into the fight. My mind intent on Jacob's imminent arrival had my determination and adrenaline spiking, allowing me to cancel out everything that was going on around me to focus on what I needed to do.

_Thirty seconds! Paul, if you're going to do it, do it now!_ Jacob commanded, racing up from behind the leech.

I snarled and tore through the debris, barging boulders with my shoulders and tearing branches away from in front of me with my rabid teeth. The sparkle fucker spun around at my approach, snarling as he locked eyes with me. I shivered at the pitch black of his eyes, unable to fathom how something could be so evil. Everything from that point on seemed like it was happening in slow motion, even though I knew that the scene was playing even faster than the human eye could see.

My jaws opened wide as my body dipped low. My target – his legs. The fucker crouched in preparation for my attack just as Jacob breached the tree-line behind the leech, seemingly undetected. He leapt high. His target – the head. Just as my razor sharp teeth were about to tear into the fucker's right leg, the loudest, most alarming howl penetrated the morning sky of La Push. Intense pain coursed through the pack mind, followed by dire panic and fear as Chris leapt to his feet with a roar, eyes intent on the den as he looked for signs of his mate and cubs.

The leech began ram rod straight in shock and surprise at the deafening howl, straightening from his attacking crouch in the process and leaving him vulnerable for attack. Jacob's jaws wrapped around the leech's head as I knocked its feet from under him, right foot in my mouth. Jacob vaulted over me, dragging the leech's body with him and landing behind me. I spun around and like a tug of war gone wrong, we both yanked, simultaneously tearing the leech's leg and head from its body with a sickening metallic screech.

Inevitably, the flurry of nature cantered to the forest ground at the leech's demise and a couple of us had to dodge them as they came down to prevent further injury. I spat out the stick of icy corpse like a fucking poison and phased back to light a fire to burn the little shit as Jacob and Leah tore the rest of him up. Sam and Jared phased to tend to Brady and Quil, who still hadn't woken up but was very much alive.

Despite the climax of the fight, my heart was still racing a mile a minute, my mind nowhere near my body's vicinity but up near the mountains with Chris and Seth. We all recognised who the howl of anguish came from – Seth. Fear for a pup, or worse, Seth nearly crippled us all and I wanted to finish here as fast as possible, phase and storm through the forest like my ass was on fire to get back to them. Jacob had already ordered some of them to get their asses up there and as soon as the leech was charring away in the raging flames, we bucked it over as well.

I couldn't explain in words the amount of relief that coursed through me when Seth's voice came filtering in through the pack mind. We hadn't heard from him so long that we all, for a second, didn't pick up on the total anguish and fear, but also relief, that plagued his mind. His voice was panicked, relived and exhausted and his words were rushed and frantic.

_Oh my God…Oh my God! Chris…Chris, baby!_ He cried. We couldn't figure out whether it was in fear or relief.

_Seth!__ Pup__, what's wrong? Oh God, the cubs? Are they okay? Baby, I'm here. I'm right out here. I'm not going anywhere. Tell me what's happening!_ Chris panicked, pacing wildly in front of the den entrance. We all breached the clearing they were in within seconds of each other and I skidded to a halt next to Chris, Jacob on his other side. The others paced behind us agitatedly.

_I thought- I thought I…I thought I lost one! __H-__he was all backwards and he couldn't get out!_ Seth sobbed but was frantically licking and nuzzling at something burrowed and whimpering into his belly. My eyes widened and heart filled with wonder as I saw three little sausages wriggling around next to him. THREE! _But he's okay, HE'S __OKAY NOW__! Baby, they all are!__ I'm done. It's over. I'm okay, I swear!_

Chris' relief was so powerful that his legs collapsed beneath him. We dropped with him, maintaining the physical comfort that only we as wolves could provide. Howls keened into the morning air as happiness and joy spread through the pack mind like fire and Collin and Brady even had a scuffle in their excitement. Jacob was beaming with pride at the growth of his pack as well as relief and joy at Seth's okay state.

_Baby please, please let me see you. Please?_ Chris pleaded, whining as he shuffled forwards, closer to the den entrance on his belly. We could sense the hesitance coming from Seth but also the intense need to have Chris nearer. We all whined and whimpered with glee as Seth's drawn, bloody, sweaty face peeked out from the entrance. Chris keened and began to frantically lick and snuffle Seth's head and shoulders, checking every available piece of Seth for any injuries or imperfections.

Seth's face quickly retreated as fast as it came out. _I can't leave them for long. I don't know how long I'll be in here but they need me. I can't leave them._

_I won't leave you, Pup. I'm here if you need me. Do you need anything?_ Chris asked with a new level of awe and joy saturating his voice and heart than we'd ever seen before.

_I'm so hungry and I need some water._ He replied, breathlessly.

A couple of the guys didn't even have to be told what to do as Jacob and Sam sprang into action and ran off through the forest to hunt some deer for Seth. Leah ran off somewhere and came back with some sort of bowl, dipping it into the lake until it was full before rushing over to us. Chris' protective instincts came back with a vengeance and he growled loudly as Leah tried to get too close. She sighed and placed the bowl of water down next to Chris, who picked it up to place just inside the den entrance. Seth's head reappeared and he polished off the water in a matter of seconds. Three trips to the lake later, Seth's parched throat was finally drenched and satisfied.

He sighed in relief. _Thank you_. He murmured. Chris managed to get a small lick at Seth in before he disappeared again in response to a whine from one of his cubs.

It was so dark in the den and Seth was so exhausted that he didn't really have much eyesight or bearings but he knew exactly where his cubs were and what they were doing. The paternal love coursing through him had us all in awe and love. I'd felt something so close to this when I held my Alex for the first time but I couldn't even imagine the amount of love I'd feel if there were three babies waiting for me back home.

_I'm going again guys. My wolf is taking over again but I'll be back soon, I promise. I love you._ Seth's voice murmured, fading until it was gone completely and his mind disconnected from ours. Momentary panic coursed through Chris before he reminded himself that his Pup was safe and seemingly healthy right now. He knew that his cubs needed their Daddy so he got a handle on himself and became a sentinel at the entrance of his family's burrow.

* * *

A week had passed since the birth Seth's three cubs and none of us had seen anything of them, apart from that brief exchange Chris and Seth had after the third pup was birthed. Chris stayed outside the den constantly, watching over them whilst listening to his cubs slowly become more and more mobile within the darkness of the den. They could be heard slowly interacting with each other, scuffling around and still suckling from Seth. Their playful yips and whines were becoming louder and stronger with each passing day and it lit the pack mind up with glee and excitement. We were all anxious to meet them but we knew that Chris would be first, naturally. The rest of us continued to patrol tightly around the area, making sure that not even a squirrel got near to our pack brother and cubs.

Seth's third cub was born breech. That is why it had hurt Seth a lot more with him than the first two. Thankfully, he was able to keep calm, despite the intense pain and help his cub be born safely. The silence that followed after the pained yelp was because Seth had been focused on helping his cub clear his airways and to take his first breath. He had said there was a few seconds before he took his first breath that he had been terrified he'd lost one and the pain that accompanied even the thought had resulted in the loud howl that had scared us beyond reason.

Apparently the cub was very timid and stayed the closest to Seth. We aren't sure whether it's because of his traumatic birth or whether he would have been that way anyway but he was showing signs of being exactly like his Dad. Whilst the other two tussled and played, the third would happily sleep between Seth's front legs or let Seth groom him.

Seth had returned to his mind only yesterday morning and had filled Chris in on everything from speaking with Hayley to the wolf taking over for a safe birth. He had also informed Chris about the cubs' genders but neither was spilling the beans to the rest of the pack. Of course, we figured one was a boy, the third cub that had been born since Seth had been referring to it as a 'he' but the other two were a mystery. They wanted it to be a surprise and you could only imagine the amount of protest that was greeted by from the rest of us. Seth had said this morning that he felt the cubs would be able to come out soon so we were all buzzing with excitement and anticipation.

Chris was more than ready to meet his cubs. They have been hearing him outside the den for a couple of days now and the two oldest cubs had been trying to get out to him prematurely, excited to meet their papa. Seth was, if anything, efficient at his role as a father and kept all three of them bundled up next to him in the den. I was patrolling with Jacob near the den whilst Embry and Brady took the La Push perimeters. Brady had healed completely yesterday morning and Quil had woken up the next day after the fight, right as rain. We were sure that there wouldn't be any vamp activity for a long time but we weren't taking any chances whilst Seth and the cubs were out here.

_Chris…_Seth called out, hesitant and nervous. He was snuffling the cubs more than usual whilst they climbed over him. Chris was by the den entrance immediately, worry tinting his mind as he waited for Seth continue. _Chris, do you- do you want to meet them? I think they're ready._

My brothers and I gasped in excitement and Chris whined, nodding swiftly as he began to pace in anticipation.

_Guys, maybe we should go._ Jacob suggested, smiling. _I mean, this should be Chris' moment._

_Yeah, you're right. We'll meet the pups soon enough. Good luck, Chris._ Embry agreed, sending Chris all his excitement before phasing out. Brady followed his example and I turned to Jacob.

_I don't want to_ I whined like a bitch. He laughed.

_Neither do I but come on, this is their time._ He ordered, trotting away from the clearing. I huffed and looked back at Chris. He was practically vibrating with his joy and enthusiasm and it reminded me of the first time I held Alex. Jake was right; this was his time to meet his children for the first time. I wouldn't even dream of taking that from him. With reluctance, I phased back and left the family to their moment.

* * *

**(AN: I was soo tempted to leave it here but I knew that I would have gotten a lot of verbal abuse from a certain group of kiwis I hold dear to me, especially from one in particular. A lot of huffing and foot stomping would have been involved and so I decided to be nice and spare Rich all the noise, a headache and a sulky son :P ) So, enjoy the meeting… :D**

* * *

**Chris' Point of View**

I've never felt so sick in my life…

As soon as Seth announced that it was time for me to meet my cubs, I felt my stomach flip and crash to my feet and my heart was beating so fast, I thought I may have a heart attack. I seriously thought I was going to be sick with nervousness and excitement right now. I'd been waiting for this moment for the last week and now it was here, I didn't know how I was going to handle it or if my poor heart could hack the excitement.

_You'll be fine, Chris. I promise. God, Baby, they're so__ cute and__ beautiful. Wait until you see._ Seth gushed, love and awe saturating his voice and heart. It spread to me and I knew that he was telling me the truth. But then, I didn't really have my doubts about them being absolutely gorgeous. Have you seen their Daddy? Seth laughed. _Have you seen their Papa?_

_Touché._ I replied, laughing. The excitement was finally winning over the nerves and I began to shift impatiently as Seth began to move. I watched the den entrance intently, something I had been doing for the last week. I grinned as Seth's head popped out and his wolf scanned the area. I knew what he was doing but he truly had nothing to worry about. _It's okay, Seth. I promise it's safe for them. I've been here and so have the others, protecting you. Everything's fine._

_I know you guys have and I can't be more grateful than I am now but I guess it's just my instincts. I'm sorry. _Seth replied, sheepishly as he took a step out the den. I held my breath as my cubs began to yip in excitement but we shushed and told to wait by Seth.

_Never be sorry for protecting our cubs_.I told him sternly. He grinned.

_Our cubs…Oh __God that__ sounds so good. Baby, we have cubs._ Seth cried in happiness and I could see his wolf eyes glistening. I wanted to go over there and lick every inch of him, to rub against him so that he smelt even more like me but I would have to wait. I had some cubs to meet and not just any cubs, but mine.

Nothing could describe the feeling the coursed through me when Seth took another step out the den and right behind his large leg stood a gorgeous white and black pup, fluffier than a fluff ball. His nose was twitching almost rabbit-like as he took in the scents of the grass, water and lingering wolf scents of his pack. His eyes were wide open with curiosity and wonder and they were the darkest shade of brown I'd ever seen, even darker than mine. He was mostly white but like me, had a soft patch of black on the top of his snout and running down his back. He was a mini me.

_He so is!_ Seth laughed, joyously as he stared down at the cub adoringly. _He can be quite grumpy and bossy at times when he doesn't get first go to eat. _

Instead of retorting with something or defending myself, I found myself grinning like an idiot, loving the fact that this little pup was so much like me, that my cub had so much of my dominant traits that he was my replica. Seth mentioned then that he was the first born and bravest just as he set eyes on me. His ears erected and his head tilted to the side in curiosity. He glanced up at Seth with wide eyes and then shocked the life out of me when a small, yet loud, voice spoke out in the pack mind.

_Papa? Daddy is that Papa?_ He asked in wonder and excitement. My eyes widened in shock and disbelief. How can he be so coherent in his speech? He was just a baby! Only a week old!

_They're pups, Chris. It's not the same. And we're hardly normal wolves either. I was as shocked as you are, believe me. _Seth laughed, nudging the cub with his legs. Soft, sweet laughter sounded in our heads and it took me a second to realise it was my son's. That was most precious sound in the world and I found myself wishing to hear it again as I watched him head butt Seth's leg back.

_Daddy! Is that Papa?_ He asked more impatiently and Seth chuckled, nodding his head as his eyes connected with mine.

_Yeah, Bud, that's Papa._ He informed our son. Intense pride welled up inside of me and I felt my eyes tear up. Seth smiled at me lovingly.

_PAPA!_ My cub screamed suddenly and then he was inbound, charging full speed away from Seth towards my legs. His fluffy tail was waggling everywhere and it was almost like he was falling over himself to get to me. I laughed joyously as he crashed into my front leg and began to rub and jump up against me, nipping my ankles impatiently. I dipped down and sighed in contentment as he began to lick my nose and bite my ears.

Lying down, I lifted a paw and pulled him towards me, making his laughter flood through our minds again. It truly was the most beautiful sound. He rubbed his side against my chest before sitting down in between my front legs, cuddled up to me. I licked his ears and neck, reassuring myself that he and I were here right now and this was actually happening. I was actually meeting my son.

_Damn, I wish I had opposable thumbs._ Seth whined. I looked up at him in confusion and amusement.

_Why?_ I laughed. He grinned.

_So I could take a picture. I've never seen a greater sight in my life._ He sighed, happily. I grinned wider.

_Daddy, it's Papa. This is Papa!_ My boy exclaimed, happily. I chuckled and nuzzled him.

_Papa?_ Another boyish voice shouted, louder than the cub I was currently coddling as a stark white cub came barrelling out the den at full speed, his ears erected like his brother's was. Oh shit, another son?

My second son was completely white as I had said but as I saw him barrelling towards me, panting and all over the place in his excitement, I saw the tiniest amount of black at the tip of his tail. I chuckled, thinking how adorable it was and Seth completely agreed with me. He wasn't as fluffy as number one but definitely as exuberant and loud as his older brother.

_Paulie,__ PT,__ look __it's__ Papa!__ Papa's here and the one we've been hearing all this time! It's Papa!_Number One shouted and I frowned in confusion, looking towards Seth. Paulie?

_They, uh…they kinda named each other. Crazy huh? I told them about the pack and…__well, yeah._ Seth informed me, worriedly but also disbelievingly. They named each other? That's crazy. _Tell me about it. _

_So…What's your name?_ I asked the cub still cuddled up against me. He peered up at me with his wide black orbs and was captivated.

_Jeremy Matthew Tyler, but PT and SJ call me JT. PT's name is Paul Samuel, after Uncle Sam._ He replied, almost sheepishly. Did Seth tell them about the animosity between their Uncle Sam and I? I didn't know how I felt about that but it's what the kids chose.

_JT?_ I asked, curiously. He wagged his tail.

_Jeremy Tyler, Papa. That's your last name, right?_ He asked, innocently. I grinned as more pride coursed through me and I looked up at Seth. He was staring back, pride also emanating from his form.

_Yeah, Jeremy, that's my last name. I love your names. What does SJ stand for?_ I asked 'PT'. He began to jump up and down, yipping.

_SJ is Seth Jacob but he's so much like Daddy so we named him after him! He smells like him so much too!_ He replied, loudly.

_So where is he? Where's your brother?_ I looked at Seth. He smiled and turned back into the den.

_SJ's so shy. He doesn't even like to get rough with us. He prefers to stay and cuddle with Daddy._ JT informed me as we all looked over his Seth.

My heart jolted as he re-emerged with a bundle of tan fur hanging from his mouth. The cub was curled up, his eyes closed as if he was scared. Seth approached the three of us, lying down beside me. I sighed in relief at the contact and leaned my head into his, snuggling into his body. He nuzzled me back before settling SJ down between his front legs. The cub burrowed further into his daddy but opened his eyes. They widened when he saw me but was relieved not to sense any fear coming from him, or his brothers for that matter.

_Why would we be scared? You're our papa._ JT replied, somewhat proud. I smiled and nudged his head with my nose. He laughed and tried to nudge me back but settled on biting my paw instead, giggling.

_That's right and Papa will never hurt you, nor will your uncles, remember? _Seth told the three.

_Or Auntie Leah._ PT added. Seth nodded before looking down at our youngest son.

_SJ, say hello to your Papa._ He gently coaxed, nudging him slightly. SJ just burrowed in further but I didn't take it personally. I softly nudged JT from between my legs so that I could get closer to SJ. He watched me with wide eyes of wonder but not fear. I lowered my head towards him and he did the same, hesitantly. I snuffled his side and then his ear. He whined softly and nudged me back slightly, rubbing the side of his face against my snout.

_Hello Papa._ SJ whispered so quietly that I almost didn't hear him. I smiled at his softer voice. His brothers were so loud. He really was so much like Seth, it was unbelievable. I licked and nuzzled my Pup lovingly and he did the same back.

_Hi SJ. My boy…_ I sighed, almost letting the emotions running wild within me free. He whined and with a hesitant look up at his Daddy, rose to his feet and quickly leapt over our legs so that he was curled and burrowed against my chest now. I sighed in contentment as PT took SJ's place between Seth's legs and JT continued to climb all over my back. He was non-stop. SJ's breathing evened out and it was clear that he had fallen asleep. PT looked like he was well on his way as well.

I looked up at Seth, allowing all the love and pride I felt for him saturate the pack mind. His gaze snapped to mine and he began to cry softly. I leaned over and licked away his salty tears from his fur and he burrowed his head under my chin, closing his eyes.

_I love you so much._ He murmured, adoringly. I cuddled his head.

_Not as much as I love you. I'm so proud of you, Pup. So proud to call you mine and so proud to now say these beautiful cubs are mine, ours. You're mine and I love you._ I replied. He sighed and I felt his mind become hazy with unconsciousness. I smiled and licked his head, then the ears of my cubs.

Finally everything was on track. I had my fresh start and my family…

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**THE END!**

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**NO, no, guys, I'm joking! :P But almost :)**

***Sniffle* Okay, so I cried a little writing Chris' POV. I've wanted to write that scene for so long :D It took me a while to get into this chapter. I hate writing fight scenes so that's why it wasn't very long but as soon as I got to Chris' POV, it was smooth sailing :D**

**So most of you were right. There are three cubs. Are you happy with the genders? Three boys? I was going to go a different route with the names, as a dedication to my Kiwis but Seth, the genius that he is, gave me more inspiration and now there will be a sequel! My true dedication to them will be a big part of that :D**

**But I need to know what you guys want me to to do...Do you want me to post the sequel on this story when it is finished or create a new story?**

**Please tell me what you thought! Remember, we're only 5 reviews away from 200! All reviews are greatly appreciated!**

**Love  
****MrsWolfPack  
****xxx**

**Ps – There**** are**** pictures of the wolf cubs on my Photobucket so please, go check them out! :D **


	32. Acceptance

**Hey, hey, my Lovelies!**

**Okay, so this update has come a lot later than I wanted it to. RL is a bitch and seems to think that stabbing me in the back is cool. It's not...**

**Anyway...**

**Ahhhh! You guys are amazing! 14 reviews for that last chapter! I knew it was coming but to actually see that '200' staring back at me is truly amazing. What makes it even more special and amazing is the fact that my Little Brother, Seth, was the 200th reviewer! Love you so much! xxxxxxx**

**Please, please keep the reviews coming! They all mean soooo much! :D**

**Okay, so the Pack will re-enter in this chapter to meet their nephews :3 Oh and please not that JM or Jeremy Matthew, the oldest cub, has had a slight name change. He's now Matthew Jeremy or MJ for short. Thanks :3 **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight! Unfortunately...D:**

**Without further ado...Enjoy!**

* * *

**Previously on Clouded Joy...**

_I looked up at Seth, allowing all the love and pride I felt for him saturate the pack mind. His gaze snapped to mine and he began to cry softly. I leaned over and licked away his salty tears from his fur and he burrowed his head under my chin, closing his eyes. _

I love you so much._ He murmured, adoringly. I cuddled his head. _

Not as much as I love you. I'm so proud of you, Pup. So proud to call you mine and so proud to now say these beautiful cubs are mine, ours. You're mine and I love you._ I replied. He sighed and I felt his mind become hazy with unconsciousness. I smiled and licked his head, then the ears of my cubs. _

_Finally everything was on track. I had my fresh start and my family…_

* * *

**Chapter 31  
****Acceptance**

**Chris' Point of View**

_Baby, are you ready for this?_ I asked my Pup as I watched him fuss and vigorously groom the sloppy mud and dirt from my cub's fur coat in the shallow stream of the mountain.

In a rare moment of exuberance and hyper-ness, something I loved to see, SJ had been the first up and out of the den to play this morning, yapping away happily as his tail wagged swiftly in his excitement. He'd taken no more than two steps out the entrance when his loud yelp had echoed through the cavernous den we'd recently made bigger to accommodate the five of us. It damn near gave his Dad and me a heart attack and we were wide awake in a nanosecond, racing out the den in a panic. Our two other sons had barrelled ahead of us and we exited the den just in time to see them skid to a halt at the very edge of a very big, very messy mud puddle.

It had rained heavy last night, harder than I've ever seen it in La Push. It had scared the cubs so Seth and I had kept them burrowed between us, protecting and loving them through it. It seemed that the heavy dense black clouds had left us souvenirs all over the place and SJ had mistakenly decided to have a bath in one. The mud covered the poor cub from the tips of his paws to his neck, barring about three inches at the end of his tail as well. That was all that could be seen, other than his head.

He literally had to swim out of it, much to his older brothers' amusement. I had long since calmed down, seeing that my cub was clearly okay, despite his messiness and slight shock but Seth freaked out, his mind a flurry of worry and fright as he raced our cub to the stream, where he has been since it happened an hour ago.

_Baby?_ I called again, knowing that he was distracted.

_Huh, what? Oh, yeah, it's about time they met them, don't you think?_ He replied, returning his attention back to SJ.

_Daddy, stop it. I'm fine._ SJ whined as Seth snuffled and fussed over him. I chuckled.

_You have mud in places no wolf should ever have it._ Seth thought to himself, ignoring our son's pleas. I heard two snickers off to the side of me and looked over at PT and MJ, both huddled together as they watched their brother get harassed and groomed.

_Hey, you two get over here._ I called, capturing their attention. They came storming over, crashing into me and I laughed, lifting my paw over PT to pin him gently to the ground. He was giggling in our minds as he tried to get free. MJ gnawed on my ear, which surprisingly didn't hurt. _You shouldn't laugh at your brother. It's not nice._

_But Papa, it's funny._ MJ laughed.

_Yeah, Papa. SJ got mud EVERYWHERE!_ PT seconded, causing both cubs to snicker again. I cringed at his loud volume, having still not gotten used to it over the passed week. _Sorry, Papa._

_Don't worry about it. _I chuckled. _Hey, you boys ready to meet your uncles today?_

_YEAH!_ MJ and PT hollared together, nearly blowing both mine and Seth's brains out. Damn, was their every thought at high volume? Was the volume control broken?

_They're kids, Chris. What do you expect? _Seth asked, laughing.

_Do you think Uncle Jacob would wrestle with me?_ MJ asked, hopefully. I smiled.

_I'm sure he will, Bud. _

_No way, he's gonna wrestle with me!_ PT protested, growling at his brother.

_Hey, hey, don't growl at each other._ I chastised, though my words fell on deaf ears as they began to tussle in the longer grass a few feet away. I laughed and shook my head at the fondly. A warm, solid masses flopped down beside me and I was aware of the electricity shooting through my side. I smiled and turned my head to meet Seth's, licking his muzzle as he nuzzled against me. I glanced beside him, where SJ was doggy shaking whilst grumbling in the back of his mind. His coat was as good as new though so all was good.

_Papa, Daddy got me._ SJ tattled, trotting over to me so that he could lie down between my front legs, cuddling close to my chest. He shivered slightly from the stream bath and I shuffled closer, sharing my body heat. Seth chuckled beside me.

_I'll get him back later, Cub. Don't you worry._ I promise, sending Seth my mischief. He shoved my head with his nose and I chuckled.

_Don't you have a pack to go meet?_ He prompted.

_I guess..._ I didn't want to leave them, especially so out in the open.

_You make it sound like I can't protect myself or the kids. Go, we'll be fine._ Seth replied. I sighed.

_I know you're capable but...I can't help it._ I whined. He licked my nose, snuggling my neck right after.

_I know. But the sooner you go, the sooner you can come back and be with us._ He coaxed, making me sigh. He was right, of course. Pup always is. _It'd do you some good to keep that in mind._

_Yeah, yeah. I'm going now._ I laughed, licking my Pup once more before nuzzling the cub now fast asleep in front of me. _Come on, Sport. Hop on over to your Dad, I need to go._

At my last few words, his eyes shot open and widened further. _What? Why? No, Papa don't go._ He whined, snuggling deeper. I sighed and licked his ear.

_I'll be right back. I promise. I won't be gone long. I'm bringing your uncles and Auntie Leah back, remember?_ I coaxed him. He whined. _Come on, please? _

_Okay, fine but I want to snuggle some more later when you get back. _ He stipulated. Both Seth and I chuckled and I butted my nose with SJ's.

_I promise, Cub. _I murmured back, licking his nose and then Seth's one last time before getting to my feet. SJ, having not moved at all, yelped as he tumbled to the side slightly and then grumbled, slouching to his Dad's legs to fall back asleep. I chuckled and with one last smile to Seth and a 'see you soon' to the other two boys, I raced towards our house, knowing that that is where everyone will be.

**Jacob's Point of View**

It's been 9 days since the cubs were born and as many since we've seen Seth at all apart from that brief interaction after the fight. Two days ago, Chris had met his sons and we hadn't seen him since either. I couldn't blame the man though. I wouldn't want to leave my sons' or mate's side for a second, 'specially when they had been so vulnerable. I just couldn't believe that Seth had three pups, all boys. Every time I thought about it, I felt pride and awe well up inside of me and I couldn't stop my chest from expanding either.

My pack had grown. The cubs were the first to be born to two shifters, two male shifters at that, making them very special to all of us and the tribe. The Elders were buzzing with excitement and joy, especially Sue, understandably. I knew that they wanted to observe and study the cubs but they would need to put a handle on that. I doubt neither Seth or Chris would want their sons to be poked and prodded because they are out of the ordinary. I knew I wouldn't and we don't want Chris going off on one towards the Elders whilst being over-protective. Dad will just have to realise that they are still babies, pups or human, and they should be treated with the utmost love, respect and care.

Leah and Sue were beside themselves. They haven't heard from their brother and son for as long as we haven't and they were anxious, no matter how many times we assured them they were fine. I didn't know why Leah just didn't phase and see for herself but I guess it has something to do with Seth being coherent and she was scared what he presence would do. Technically, she's still been a bitch to him and a pretty lousy sister but I'd never say that to her face. She feels bad enough. Sue just can't wait to get her boys back home, all five of them.

"I hope they won't be much longer. I want them all home and I want to meet my grandbabies." Sure gushed as she puttered around Chris' kitchen. "Don't you know when they'll be back?"  
"Sorry, Sue. We don't really know much of anything abut this. I guess they'll be back when Seth feels the cubs are ready. They must be getting there, since the pack will be allowed to meet them later." I explained. She nodded, having already known that. I could see the slight jealousy of not being one of the first to meet them but it would be pretty hard to keep a situation like that under control, especially when the cubs were young and reckless. They could easily, but unintentionally, hurt Sue and we didn't want that.

"But why can't that be soon?" she whined. I've never seen her like this before. It was quite amusing.

"Patience, Sue. They'll be home, don't worry." I chuckled, kissing her forehead. She huffed.

"Easy for you to say, you'll see them in a couple of hours." She grumbled and all I could do was chuckle and leave her to it.

The pack were all conjugated in the living room, waiting in anticipation for the meeting. We were all worried that the cubs wouldn't take to us, that we'd be the one that may scare them or something. We all wanted to be someone who they could look up to, to see the value in us as Uncles. Maybe we were being morons but we can't help it right now. We were just nervous.

"Don't you think it'll be too much to meet us all that the same time?" Brady asked, sudden;y. His face thoughtful. I shrugged.

"I dunno...I never thought about it." I admitted. However, I was thinking about it now. Perhaps I should work out a plan to revealing the pack to the cubs. We didn't want to scare them; that was the last thing we wanted.

"No, I don't think it will. I doubt Seth would say it was fine if it wasn't." Paul piped up, shaking his head. He had a point. "I mean, he knows what's better for the cubs more than anyone, right? We should trust he knows what he's saying."

"Yeah, I agree with Paul. It'll be fine." Embry added, nodding at me. I nodded back once.

"Chris should be coming for you guys, right?" Rachel asked from Paul's lap. I could see just by looking at her face that she was jealous we were all meeting them before her. In fact, all the girls were jealous of this fact, apart from Leah. It couldn't be helped though.

"Yeah, he said he was when I spoke to him briefly a few hours ago." I replied and then went deep into thought. "It's amazing how they can somehow close us out completely whilst they're with the cubs."

"It'll all be part of protecting them, surely. I mean, that way we can't watch their every move. I'm not saying that we'd ever hurt them, don't get me wrong but they're just being cautious with them." Leah replied, shrugging. I guess she had a point.

"Yeah but still, even when we're trying to block each other out, we can still feel each other's presence in the pack mind. With them it's like they aren't even phased at all." I replied.

"I think there's something about that written in a journal from one of the members of the pack in Pharoh's time. The passage is brief and mentions the same thing you just did, Jacob. They suspected that in the brief time of the cubs being in their wolf forms, the family had formed a small pack, per se. In this scenario, I suppose the Alpha would be Chris, Seth the Beta and then the cubs as theirs to protect." Billy explained, thoughtfully.

I had to admit though, the thought of them forming their own pack away from mine had me worried. "So you think they've formed a pack under Chris? So I'm not their alpha anymore?" I asked, concerned. Billy smiled at me in reassurance.

"It also said that Pharoh's mind reconnected with the rest of the pack's after his cubs had phased into their human forms. I believe it is just temporary, to ensure the cubs utmost safety. Chris having full reign over all decisions involving the cubs and Seth right now makes sense." he answered. I guess he was right.

"Well that's reassuring because I don't want to be Alpha permanently." a deep, somewhat familiar yet unfamiliar voice called through the kitchen just as a few womanly squeals shouted out 'Chris!' I couldn't stop the grin was spreading across my face as his large form came striding into the living room. All attention was on him and I knew without even looking that my expression was mirrored on everyone else's as well.

Paul was the first to his feet, followed closely by Embry and they both clamoured over each other and the mass of bodies sewn across the living room floor to get to their brother. Chris laughed; he genuinely laughed as they yanked him towards them into a three-way hug. He hugged them just as vigorously and even just by that, I knew that we weren't looking at the same Chris we had left at that clearing. He seemed brighter, lighter somehow, like a massive weight had been lifted off his chest and the sorrow of his past had been sucked right out of him. I suspected, no, I knew that had something to do with his cubs and the path of fatherhood he was now embarked upon.

When his brothers pulled back, Chris was then yanked into embrace after embrace from wolves, to imprints, to elders. All of whom were shouting and hollering question after question towards him. I laughed and called every one off, knowing that Chris had to be overwhelmed, though he didn't look it. He shot me a grateful smile after everyone backed off and then I approached him. He met my hug with his own, as well as one of the brightest smiles I've ever seen lit up his face. This was definitely a changed man.

"It's about time you got here. We want to meet our nephews. How are they? You and Seth?" I asked, grinning as I pulled back from him.

We watched as his expression morphed into one of complete and utter awe and love. His eyes glazed over as if lost in thoughts and memories and I knew that he had his cubs on the brain. I couldn't help but grin wider as slapped him on the shoulder. He laughed as he resurfaced, shaking his head slightly but he didn't look the least bit apologetic for spacing out.

"Sorry, uh, yeah, they're amazing. All healthy and balls of hyperactive fur. Adorable to the core and just pretty much perfect. They're a handful but I'm not complaining." he chuckled, blushing as he realised that everyone was staring at him with big cheesy grins on their faces, including me. "What?"

"Nothing...Nothing, it's just you look happier than we've ever seen you. Fatherhood looks good on you." Rachel replied, her face glowing with her own happiness for our brother. He grinned wider, almost obscenely but none of us could blame him.

Chris blushed but the grin still remained. "Oh yeah? I'm kinda liking it." he chuckled, embarrassed.

"How are they? Everything with the third pup is okay, right? No lasting damage?" Sue asked, anxiously. Chris smiled at her but shook his head.

"Nope, he's fine. They're all fine. Seth and I have our hands full but we love it. It's only been a week but really, there's nothing like it and they're all so intelligent. Did you know that they can speak full English in a proper conversation? Have been able to since I met them for the first time." he informed us, making us all stare at him in wonderment and awe.

"You're kidding. Wow, that's awesome."

"Yeah, shocked me completely. The two oldest are very independent but the youngest is constantly with me or Seth, sleeping against our chests." he informed us. The girls 'awed' in the background.

"You look tired though, Man." Quil pointed out. Chris shrugged.

"I guess so."

"So you're here to take us to meet the cubs now then." I prompted. He nodded and grinned.

"Yeah, I'll have to warn you though. One of the cubs, SJ, is pretty timid and shy so try not to be too loud or forward around him. He'll probably stay behind Seth's legs for a while when we first get there and don't take it personally if he cowers away from you if you get too close." He told us, his face thoughtful. "We don't know whether that's because of his complications at birth and he remembers or if it's just his personality. We're hoping for the second, to be honest."

"Well, believe it or not, Seth was quite shy when he was younger so it very well could be his personality. I'm sure he'll be fine." Sue assured him, smiling. He nodded.

"Chris, don't worry. We know that this is a delicate situation so we'll be following your lead on this one. You and Seth know we won't hurt them, wouldn't even dream of it but they don't-"

"Actually, they do. Seth told them all about you guys so don't be surprised if the eldest two storm up to you shouting your name." He chuckled, smiling fondly. I grinned in pride at that information.

"That's great. So they'll recognise us then?"

"Most probably."

"Hey, you mentioned one of the subs is called 'SJ'. What's that stand for? You named them already?" Embry asked, excitedly. Chris chuckled and a look passed across his face I couldn't quite decipher.

"Oh, yeah, they have names. They actually named each other. Crazy, huh?" he laughed, looking at us all. My eyes widened with everyone else's.

"Are you serious?" I asked, shocked. He nodded.

"Yeah, right after they heard all about you guys."

"So..'SJ' is initials, I'm guessing." Paul hedged, looking at Chris expectantly. Chris just smirked and shrugged.

"Could be. Not saying just yet." he teased, grinning when Paul actually pouted. "Come on, I thought you guys wanted to meet them?"

"Oh we do. Come on!" I replied, rushing towards the kitchen and back door. Chris chuckled.

"So what about the other two? Will they be okay with meeting us?" Leah asked, curiously as we made our way out the back door and off the porch. Chris smiled.

"Oh yeah, you don't have to worry about those two. They remind me of Quil and Embry when they're together, or maybe Collin and Brady." he replied, grinning. We all laughed when the four mentioned wolves fist pumped the air with a whoop. "Seriously, they're like two peas in a pod and are constantly trying to get SJ in trouble with them."

"yeah, definitely sounds like Embry, Quil and Jacob when they were younger." Billy chuckled from the back porch. Everyone had come out to see us off.

"Can we get a move on? I'm starting to think you're stalling." Paul yelled across the yard, already at the tree-line. Chris laughed and rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, sure. And no I'm not stalling. It makes me uneasy to be away from them for this long so let's go." he ordered, turning to head towards the trees.

"Now you take care of my boy, Christopher Tyler and bring your family back safe and sound, you got me?" Sue shouted across the yard before we could disappear. Chris stopped and turned to face Sue, locking eyes with her so that she could see his sincerity in his next words.

"I promise to bring our boys back safe and healthy." he swore. Sue blushed at his intense gaze but nodded with a smile. Chris nodded back in return before striding into the trees.

**Chris' Point of View**

We all stripped and phased on the spot, our minds linking instantly but something was weird. I hadn't realised it before. It was like my brain was working on two different frequencies at the same time. I was connected to Jacob and the guys on one frequency; I could hear them perfectly but then Seth and the boys were on a different frequency, one that I don't think Jacob and the others shared with us. I quickly established that Seth nor the boys could hear them as Seth only acknowledged me.

_Hey, I thought you were bringing the guys with you?_ He asked, confused at the usual calmness we'd been used to in the pack mind for the last week.

_Oh, yeah, I did. They're here._ I replied, making my brothers look at me weirdly.

_Dude, we didn't say anything._ Paul pointed out, sharing a confused look with Jacob.

_Yeah, sorry, I was talking to Seth._ I replied and would have been blushing had I been human right now. Seth's mind tinged with confusion this time.

_Baby, why are you apologising and talking about me, to me, as if I'm not here?_ He asked. Oh yeah, this is going to be confusing as shit!

_Right, okay...this is weird. I'm hearing Seth but Jacob and the others aren't and he can't hear them..._ I mumbled to myself.

_What?_ Everyone asked.

_My mind is split. I can hear you and the guys, Jacob but can you hear Seth?_ I asked Jacob, silently asking Seth to say something.

_Hey Jacob._ He called out, feeling like an idiot because according to him, we were alone with the boys. The guys made no acknowledgement to his greeting.

_You didn't hear Seth? _ I double-checked, knowing the answer already. Jacob shook his head. _Okay...Say hi to Seth._

_But Seth isn't here._ Paul protested. I rolled my eyes.

_Just do it, I'm trying to prove a point here. _I griped. Jacob sighed but called out a hello to Seth, who paid no acknowledgement. _Okay, Seth is here and so is the guys. You can't hear each other for some reason but I can hear you both._

_We have a theory about that. _Leah piped up. _We think it's a protection mechanism for the cubs, that whilst they're still puppies, you Seth and them have formed a smaller, temporary pack to ensure their safety and security. We could be wrong and it's something else but I guess it makes sense. _

_So...this isn't permanent?_ I asked. She shook her head.

_What isn't permanent? _Seth asked, confused. I sighed.

_Talking to Leah, Pup. It's fine._ I told him. His mind stuttered to silence and frowned. _Pup, what's wrong?_

_What? What's wrong with Seth? The cubs?_ Leah asked, shifting nervously.

_Hold on, Leah. _

_Leah's there? _Seth asked in a small voice. I didn't answer for a couple of seconds and then it hit me. Oh... _She came to see them?_

_Seth...Yeah, she's here...She feels bad, Seth._

_Seth's asking about me? Seth, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, please forgive me._ She almost shouted through the pack mind but the volume change made no difference, Seth didn't hear a word.

_He can't hear you, Leah. Maybe you guys should just talk later. _I suggested. They both sighed.

_Okay._ They both replied and then fell silent, as if waiting for something. And then they said at the same time. _What did she (he) say?_

_Okay. _I relayed to both parties, discovering quickly that if this pack mind shit didn't sort itself out soon then I was going to have a major headache. _Shall we get this show on the road? Seth, are the boys okay?_

_Oh yeah, SJ's sleeping and the boys are wrestling. Come back to me._ He added in a murmured. I smiled.

_I'm coming...Come on guys._ I prompted, taking off into the woods towards my family. The closer I got to the them, the stronger the pull became, forcing my paws to speed faster and faster to get to them quicker. My heart was literally racing when we reached within a mile of the clearing my family resided in but in spite of my own desires, I slowed my pace down, prompting the others following to do so as well.

I could see my family through the trees and I was sure that the cubs could feel my presence as well. PT and MJ stopped wrestling and we now staring in our direction with their heads cocked to the side as if they were confused. SJ was now awake, though he didn't move from Seth's warm chest. He too was looking over at us, seemingly directly at me.

_Oh my goodness..._ Leah breathed, taking a step forwards. I growled involuntarily and cringed afterwards when she flinched back.

_Sorry, sorry...I wasn't expecting you to get closer. Sorry._ I rushed, feeling bad for scaring her. She shook her head and I felt her apology.

_No, I'm sorry. We said we'd follow your lead._ She replied, sheepishly.

_Papa, is that you? Why are you hiding? _MJ asked loudly, making me cringe at his volume. He didn't notice.

_I'm here Son, hang on a second._ I replied, piquing the pack's curiosity.

_They're beautiful, Chris...My god. _Jacob breathed, shifting to the side slightly to get a better look at them around me. I grinned in spite of myself at his words. _Who is who?_

_The cub with Seth is SJ. MJ is my mini me and PT is the white cub._ I explained, proudly.

_Those acronyms are going to do my head in. _ Embry grumbled, teasingly. I laughed.

_You'll find out soon enough._ I assured him.

_Daddy, who is Papa talking to?_ SJ whispered, peering up at Seth, who chuckled and locked eyes with me through the shadows of the trees.

_Your Uncles._ He replied. It was then that MJ and PT's ears shot up alert, which had to be the funniest thing I'd ever seen, and they began to barrel their way across the clearing in our direction. Seth shot to his feet and was blocking their paths in the next second, radiating disapproval that had the cubs squirming. _No, go to your brother. No arguing. _

Damn, my Pup _could_ be strict. Who would have thought? Seth turned his head slightly to look at me and he nodded his head.

_Maybe Jacob should meet them first, since he's our Alpha?_ He suggested, looking at the russet wolf beside me. I nodded and turned to look at Jacob.

_You ready? Seth wants you to meet them first, being our alpha and all._ I informed him and he puffed with pride. He nodded and took a step forward, though he allowed me to take the lead. The rest of the pack reluctantly stayed where they was, knowing that their turn would come.

Together, Jacob and I strolled out of the shadows of the trees. I was instantly by Seth's side, brushing up against him as he snuggled into my chest. I licked his ears, his eyes and the side of his snout and heard a couple of adverse comments from my pack brothers about my actions but I ignored them, keeping my eyes on Jacob as he hesitantly took a step towards my cubs. My body tensed slightly but Seth licked me, silently assuring me that they would be fine, that Jacob wouldn't hurt them. I knew that; it was my wolf who had the problem but he'd just have to deal.

MJ was the first one to pluck up the courage to get to his feet and slowly edge his way towards the massive russet Alpha approaching them. I noticed that he took a protective stance in front of his younger brothers and I brimmed with pride for my son. He locked eyes with Jacob, which was brave within itself and he held his ground, almost as if daring Jacob to get closer than he already was. SJ was cowering behind PT's slightly larger body, not liking Jacob's advance at all. I noticed he kept giving us nervous glances, as if asking us why we were all the way over here whilst this strange wolf got closer. It took everything in me not to go to them but Seth kept me grounded.

When Jacob was just a few feet away, he gracefully dropped down to his belly, never taking his eyes from the brave cub before him. This seemed to confused MJ and drop his guard only slightly. He viewed Jacob as not so threatening anymore. I realised that Jacob was running off instinct right now as no thoughts ran through his mind, not even stray ones. The pack watched in rapt attention from the tree line.

_Hello there...I don't know whether you can hear me. Probably not...I'm your Uncle Jacob._ He murmured, keeping his voice low and soft, not loud and commanding as he usually does. MJ's head cocked to the side as if he acknowledged the fact that Jacob was trying to communicate but couldn't understand what.

PT had an errant thought that the wolf before them looked an awful lot like their Uncle Jacob and MJ latched onto it immediately, giving it more thought. Hesitantly, he took a step forward, extending is nose as if scenting the air in front of him. They would know the pack's individual scents from our memories. I knew without a doubt that MJ and PT's worry and uncertainty would disappear as soon as they smelt Jacob, that there was no danger whatsoever.

The very second Jacob's scent registered in MJ's mind, his ears erected and his head bobbed up in surprise. His tail began to wag as he sniffed the air more insistently. All Jacob and the others seemed to be able to do was watch on in awe. MJ took another step forwards and then another until his nose was literally only inches away from Jacob's. He didn't move muscle, not wanting to frighten MJ.

_Uncle Jacob?_ MJ's asked, confused but very hopeful. Jacob's body jolted as if in shock as the others in the pack shifted excitedly. Jacob's sudden movement made MJ jumped and he hopped back a few paces, now watching his uncle warily. Jacob settled back down and tentatively shuffling forward on his stomach so that he was close to MJ again. He hesitantly reached out to MJ with his mind.

_MJ? Can you hear me? _

_Yeah...Why wouldn't I hear you? You're Uncle Jacob, aren't you?_ MJ asked in wonder. Jacobs mind suddenly relaxed and he chuckled, nodding at the cub. MJ's eyes widened comically and his wolfish face stretched into a grin.

_UNCLE JACOB!_ PT screamed, making us all actually groan as one at the echoing in the pack mind. I laughed as PT barrelled his way towards Jacob at full speed, much like he had to me, crashing into him with an 'oomph' but it didn't deter him. He climbed all over his back and chewed on his ears. MJ had his paws up on Jacob's chest and was licking his face and muzzle to death. _MJ, It's Uncle Jacob!_

_YEAH!_

_I guess they like him._ Seth chuckled, making the rest of us join in. I glanced at the pack, noticing a few pairs of wet eyes as they watched their Alpha and cubs interact. Then I looked over, passed Jacob and my two eldest sons, to the little cub curled up tightly as he watched his brothers. His mind was reserved and very wary, after all Jacob was still the biggest wolf he'd ever seen, even bigger than me. I knew that this trust issue was going to be carried with him as he grew up. It was a shame.

_Hold on, Pup. There's still SJ. _I reminded my mate. He stopped chuckling and looked at our youngest son in concern. _He'll be fine. Let him take his time. _

_Hey SJ! Come over and meet Uncle Jake! _MJ shouted, enthusiastically. SJ's eyes widened and his wolf head shook swiftly. MJ and PT sighed and rolled their eyes. _He won't hurt us. He's Papa and Daddy's Alpha, right Uncle Jake?_

_Sure am, Big Man. I'd never hurt any of you._ He added to SJ, who was still doubtful.

_SJ, Daddy promises that you're safe with Uncle Jacob, and all your other Uncles, and Auntie Leah, okay? Daddy promises._ Seth murmured, love and protectiveness saturating his voice as he connected eyes with him. They were so wide and vulnerable but SJ eventually nodded.

Showing us his plans, Jacob carefully stood up to his feet, making MJ slide off his back, giggling. His eyes remained on SJ, who was staring right back, watching as the large wolf approached him. He didn't move though; he stood his ground like the brave little cub/boy he was. I was so proud. Sure, he was practically shaking where he lay when Jacob stopped above him, staring down as non-threateningly as he could. But SJ was timid by nature so it didn't really do any good in this situation. My heart nearly broke when SJ felt the need to search for acceptance.

Jacob frowned as the little cub rolled onto his back beneath him, exposing his small, extremely vulnerable belly to the alpha wolf. I almost bolted over there when a soft, submissive whine sounded from SJ's chest and it was Paul and Seth who halted me from either side of me. The noise startled Jacob and instantly, he was appeasing the cub, leaning down to snuffling and lick the underside of his belly and neck. SJ was stock still, still afraid but slowly, he relaxed under Jacob's acceptance and nurturing. When Jacob actually laid down in front of him, his guard was almost forgotten as he wriggled back over to his stomach and tentatively shuffled along the grass to cuddle into his chest.

It was then, when Jacob didn't reprimand him or move, that SJ completely relaxed and closed his eyes, burrowing closer to Jacob's warmth. A couple of the guys and Leah 'awed' at the scene and I could feel the pride and smugness coming from Jacob as he stared down at the drowsy pup.

_He's...the most precious being I've ever seen._ He breathed, his emotions getting the better of himself for a few moments. Even some of the guys agreed with him whole-heartedly.

_Hey! What about us? _MJ and PT asked in unison and I'm sure they would have been pouting had they been human.

_Well duh! You guys too! Get over here._ Jacob ordered, laughing. They both cheered in the pack mind, making us all cringe yet again.

_Hey! Who's all those voices? There wasn't that many before..._ PT pointed out, cocking his head to the side. I smiled.

_Boys, you want to meet the rest of your Uncles and your Auntie Leah? _Seth asked, mentally smirking. All three cubs looked to Seth as if to ask whether he was serious and we chuckled, nodding. Their excitement went through the roof as PT and MJ came storming across the clearing towards us. Even SJ got up but he stayed next to Jacob, watching intently.

The pack came out of hiding cautiously but their caution was thrown to the wind as my two boisterous sons yipped and jumped at their ankles, making them all laugh. Brady and Collin were instantly up for wrestling, something that PT took them up on immediately. Quil and Embry also got in a few rounds with the cubs. Seth kept an extra eye on them, the over-protective Pup. Leah and Paul were the only two left who weren't wrestling and playing around. They made their way towards Jacob and SJ, both awed and captivated by the cub now staring back at them both. I smiled at Seth and brushed my head against his. He sighed softly and licked my muzzle a couple of times, murmuring how much he loved me.

_Love you too, Pup. So much. _ I sighed, feeling him lean into me as I sent him my feelings of awe and love. It was like he became drunk from its intensity and I chuckled, licking his ear. _I can't believe SJ...what he did._

_He did what he thought was the only thing he could. I mean, Jake is an alpha. In a normal wolf pack, wouldn't newcomers seek the alpha's approval? _Seth reasoned. I guess he had a point but that didn't explain why PT and MJ didn't do that. _Well, they're clearly not like SJ, personality wise I mean. He's timid, they're loud and...well, loud. _

We both laughed and strolled over to SJ's little gathering. They were having a quiet conversation. His inner voice was so quiet that I knew the three around him felt like they couldn't speak back to him with anything higher than a whisper. As soon as we laid down next to Jacob, Seth between him and I, SJ looked over at me and quickly got to his feet, hopping over Seth and Jacob's legs until he was between mine. I grinned in pride and awe as he circled a couple of times and then laid down, burrowing back into my chest as he always does.

Seth laughed. _Yeah, he loves Papa cuddles._ He informed the others, proudly. They laughed and began to talk amongst themselves, asking Seth what he could remember about the birthing process (which wasn't much, he says) and when they thought he and cubs would get to come home. I too was worried about that. We'd been out here for a week and a half already and I really didn't like the thought of being here for very much longer. The cubs would phase back to human when they're ready.

I just hoped that it would be soon...

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**Okay, so that's one more chapter down :3 There'll be one more proper chapter after this one and then an Epilogue. Those of you who are interested in a sequel will be happy to know that there is one :3 My kiwis have helped in the planning process and it'll be awesome :D**

**Please leave a review, they mean so much to me and make me grin every time, no matter how small they are :D**

**Love  
****MrsWolfPack  
****x**


	33. Magical Moment

**Hey, hey, my Lovelies!**

**Okay, so I lied :3 This will be the second to last chapter I'm going to post so there's this one and then another one before the epilogue :) Most of you know that there will be a sequel and I hope to see you all there :3 But I would like to thank everyone who has been reading and offering their lovely opinions and gracious compliments throughout. They've meant so much more to me than I can express :3 It's been quite the roller-coaster of emotions but I'm glad you've all stuck it out with me :3 **

**Thank you especially to those of you who reviewed the last chapter :3 13 reviews, you guys ROCK!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own twilight! Unfortunately...D:**

**Without further ado...Enjoy!**

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**Previously on Clouded Joy...**

_We both laughed and strolled over to SJ's little gathering. They were having a quiet conversation. His inner voice was so quiet that I knew the three around him felt like they couldn't speak back to him with anything higher than a whisper. As soon as we laid down next to Jacob, Seth between him and I, SJ looked over at me and quickly got to his feet, hopping over Seth and Jacob's legs until he was between mine. I grinned in pride and awe as he circled a couple of times and then laid down, burrowing back into my chest as he always does. _

_Seth laughed. _Yeah, he loves Papa cuddles._ He informed the others, proudly. They laughed and began to talk amongst themselves, asking Seth what he could remember about the birthing process (which wasn't much, he says) and when they thought he and cubs would get to come home. I too was worried about that. We'd been out here for a week and a half already and I really didn't like the thought of being here for very much longer. The cubs would phase back to human when they're ready. _

_I just hoped that it would be soon..._

* * *

**Chapter 32**

**Magical Moment**

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**Seth's Point of View**

Everyone had long since calmed down and we were now huddled around each other on the grassy ground outside the den. My cubs had effectively been barricaded in a loose circle, not that they realised, so that they couldn't run off anywhere. Everyone was talking amongst themselves in the pack mind, though it wasn't as cluttered as I thought it would be. I was tucked up against Chris, his strong, powerful curled around behind mine as SJ cuddled up against my chest, sleeping peacefully.

The other two cubs were playing with their uncles, leaping and bounding over and under their powerful bodies as if they thought they had their own wolf jungle gym. The guys didn't mind though; all of them were chuckling at them every so often. It was nice to see the family all together. We had a few tears from MJ earlier after PT got a little bit too rough but he got him back by pushing him in the stream.

_Okay, so you can't keep us in the dark any longer, Guys. What's with the name abbreviations and what to do they stand for?_ Embry asked as he nudged at MJ, who was gnawing on his Uncle's ear.

_We named each other! _PT screamed excitedly, making us all cringe. He didn't seem to notice as he began to charge around the loose circle our bodies made in his exuberance. We all chuckled at him.

_Except MJ, Daddy named him._ SJ whispered, capturing our attention. I hadn't even realised he'd woken up, he was just that quiet. I lowered my head and licked his ears, cleaning the sleep from his eyes before licking his nose. We all chuckled as he sneezed and I pulled him closer. Chris leaned over to give him a lick as well.

_My name is PT, which stands for Paul Tyler but my middle name is Sam. _PT explained happily as he almost hopped up and down in front of Paul. There was a hushed silence as his words circulated through the pack mind. Paul was as still as stone and if he weren't laid there in wolf form, I would have suspected him being a vampire. I glanced over at Sam and noticed he had pretty much the same reaction to his nephew's words. _Do you like it? I do! MJ thought I reminded him of you Uncle Paul, but nicer!_

We all laughed at my boy's explanation and I saw as Paul thawed out and looked over towards me. I grinned and I knew that he didn't know what to say. Chris, thankfully, did know.

_It's only right that one of my sons have your name, since yours has mine._ He rationalised. Paul stared at his brother before grinning widely and tackling my mate beside me. I laughed and hopped out the way, making SJ grumble for disturbing him. He shuffled back over to me as I laid down again.

_Chris..._ a deep voice called hesitantly through the pack mind. Chris and Paul separated from their tussle and he turned his head towards Sam. We could all still feel some of the hatred he felt for Josh, and inadvertently Sam as well but I was happy to see that it wasn't nearly as powerful and intense anymore. Sam could see that too and some hope flickered in his mind.

_Yeah?_ He replied, flatly. Everyone seemed to hold their breath as the two spoke and I could tell that the cubs were confused.

_Thank you...and I'm sorry._ He murmured, dropping his head low. Chris stared at him for a good few minutes. We could see everything running through his head, every feeling that welled in his chest. After much deliberation and consideration, all his reply was...

_Don't mention it...and I know._ And that was that. End of.

Everything after that stayed silent for a couple of minutes whilst Paul and Chris returned to their places,. SJ seemed to sense the peculiar mood his Papa was now in and decided to hop on over our legs to lay between his. Chris licked his snout. MJ sensed it too and chose that moment to break the tension.

_BOGGIES! _

The silence was shattered by loud guffaws and chortles throughout the whole pack. It certainly didn't help that he yipped into the sky with a hop when he yelled it. It was the perfect ploy to get the tension right down. MJ sat, smugness tingeing his thoughts as he watched his family practically fall over each other in laughter.

_MJ, you star._ Embry cackled, leaning on Quil.

_What was that about, Son? _Chris asked, grinning.

MJ did this sort of shrug. _I hate silence. Feels weird..._ he replied, innocently.

_Oh! Oh! Let me tell you about SJ's name!_ PT shouted, excitedly. MJ instantly protested, arguing that it should be his turn to say a meaning. They began to tussle, falling over each other and gnawing at each other's fur and ears. They didn't seem to notice when their littlest brother spoke up in a whisper.

_I'll tell you, I guess..._ SJ murmured, amused by his brothers just like the rest of us. He had everyone's full attention and I knew that he'd be blushing had he been human. He burrowed further into Chris as if trying to hide himself from the scrutiny. _Daddy was telling us about himself when he was a little boy and MJ said that I am like Daddy. Seth is my first name. _

_I think MJ made a good call with that one. You're a cutie-pie, just like your Daddy was. _Leah crooned. She actually _crooned_ at my son. Some of the guys were looking at her like she had two heads but she paid them no mind. Just like most of us, SJ had her full attention. SJ's head dipped and I had this comic cartoon flashing through my head of his actually fur tingeing red either side of his nose. A couple of guys chuckled at my image.

Then what she just said caught up with me...

_Hey! I'm still cute! _ I protested, glaring jokingly towards my sister. My slow reaction caused another round of guffaws to circulate through the pack mind.

_Um, nah, SJ stole it all when he was born._ Leah bantered back and I smiled at her. She smiled back and it was then that I knew things would be okay between us. We'll have a talk later.

_What about us, Auntie Leah? Are we cute too? _ PT and MJ asked loudly. She chuckled.

_Of course, you're triplets after all._ She laughed. PT and MJ's smugness levels rose and I had to giggle.

_So what about the 'J' part. It's obviously not 'Tyler' so I'm guessing it's a middle name. _ Jared pointed out. I smirked to myself and my eyes swivelled towards Jacob. His gaze met mine blankly and it took him a full two minutes of silence to understand what I was silently saying to him. His eyes widened comically and I giggled again. We felt his pride well up side of him as he stared down at SJ, who smiled back shyly.

_Are you serious?_ Jacob asked, incredulously. I nodded and licked SJ's ear. _You named him after me? _

_Of course, Jake. You were my idol growing up and became the big brother I never had. Now you're my Alpha, an even bigger part of my life. So yeah, we named SJ after you. _ Replied, emotionally. Jacob whined and he pushed every ounce of his gratitude towards Chris and I. SJ seemed to sag in relief for some reason and we caught a tail end of a thought in his mind, saying that he was frightened that Uncle Jacob would be mad.

_I could never be mad about this, SJ. I'm honoured. _ Jacob crooned at SJ. This crooning thing was going to become a constant throughout SJ's life, I could sense it. SJ bowed his head and shyness saturated his mind as he slowly crept towards his Uncle Jacob again. Jake accepted SJ's small body between his front legs easily and made sure he was comfortable before looking back up at us.

_Okay, so I get where you got PT and SJ's names from but what about MJ's? What made you name him Matthew?_ He asked, curiously.

I turned my head to look at Leah. She met my gaze tentatively and I could see how sorry she was but that could wait until later. Instead, I asked, _You remember that guy who moved away during our Freshman year. Matthew Kingi-Lett?_

_Oh yeah, he was that senior guy who was the school head Buddy, right? He helped all the younger years out with stuff around school, like showing them to class and giving out advice. _She replied, flashing a picture of him through the pack mind. A couple of the other guys acknowledged him as well.

_Hey, that's the guy who taught me how to surf!_ Brady exclaimed, grinning. I chuckled.

_Yeah, he was a wicked surfer. But you remember him yeah?_ I repeated. The others nodded. _Well, Matt's the guy who actually convinced me to come out...you know, from the closet. I had been worried what Mom would think, and all you guys as well so I went to him for advice because I knew he was gay as well. I kinda __owe him a lot, to be honest, even more than the advice thing so I figured honouring him by using his name would be a good start. _I explained, proud of myself. Chris licked my ears, silently telling me that he was proud of me as well.

_I hear he's married with two sons over in New Zealand now. He became a lawyer and his partner is a __pretty darn good doctor as well, apparently. _Collin informed us.

_How did you know that? _I asked, curiously. He gave a wolf shrug.

_My Mom is still in contact with his. They were best friends after all. _He added, chuckling. We all did as well.

_So are you going to tell him? _Brady asked. I shrugged.

_I'm sure it'll get back to him through his and Collin's mom. _I chuckled. Collin nodded his head in agreement.

_Daddy, we're hungry. _PT whined, slouching over to me before flopping into my side so that he rubbed against me. MJ soon latched onto his brother's thought and began to whine as well, dramatically complaining that they were starving. SJ stayed where he was between Jacob's legs but was staring at me with hopeful eyes, his hunger evident. It had been a few hours since they were last fed.

_Should we hunt for them, do you think?_ Embry asked, excited by the prospect. I was hesitant though. The cubs had been drinking from me up until now and I didn't know how their stomach would handle actual meat and solid stuff but they had their first set of strong teeth so they shouldn't have any trouble with soft meats from deer and such.

I peered over at Chris to see what he thought but he just shrugged. I rolled my eyes; a fat lot of good he is. I sighed and eventually nodded, making them all buzz with excitement. The cubs couldn't wait to have a taste of their first meats.

_Yeah, okay, but hunt something soft, okay? Like a deer or something. _ I stipulated, watching as most of my pack brothers rose to their paws and stretched. Pride welled up inside of me at the thought of them preparing to take care and provide for my cubs, especially since I knew that most of them hated eating raw meat and hunting.

Chris got to his feet beside me and I peered up at him. He stretched languidly before leaning down to lick my muzzle a couple of times. I did it back, expressing my love for him with each swipe of my tongue. The two older cubs watched intently as their uncles took to the trees and I could feel their desire to go with them.

_Haha, you guys haven't got a chance. Either come here and sleep before you eat or go work up an appetite around here._ I chuckled, nudging playfully at their sides. They whined and grumbled but eventually took off towards a large mound of mud. Damn it, they'll need a scrub later but boys will be boys.

SJ was asleep again so I got to my feet, lifting his sleeping body by the scruff of the neck with my mouth before taking him towards the den. He shivered slightly when I placed him down, having been used to the warmth of mine or Chris' body heat whilst he was asleep, or that of his brothers', but he soon calmed down again, settling back to sleep. There was only three people left here specifically to help keep the boys safe and sound. Brady, Collin and Leah all remained laid where they had been before but as soon as I exited the den, Leah's head lifted from her paws and I could see the hopefulness in her eyes.

She wanted to talk.

I sighed, knowing that this would have to happen sooner or later. We might as well get it over with. I knew that I'd already forgiven her for not being there for me during the pregnancy and how she reacted when I told her. I think I knew why she reacted like that but I'd wait for her to tell me. I caught her gaze again after a second deliberation before clocking my head slightly to the side, gesturing her to follow me.

_Guys, could you keep an eye on the boys for me?_ I asked the other two lying a few feet away.

_Yeah, sure Seth. Don't worry about them. _Brady assured me, sensing what was about to go down between us. Collin looked just as charged, realising that this could go good or bad. I hoped for the former. I nodded and began to walk a few ways away.

We were both conscious of the rest of the pack being able to listen in. Whether they would or will is another matter but we'd have to deal because I couldn't phase whilst the cubs were still cubs. Once they phased, which is how we think it's going to go, back into human, I should be able to then as well. But for now, I'm stuck like this.

We stood there, a mile or so away from the other guys, in silence, neither of us comfortable with initialising the conversation. Leah avoided my gaze, lost in her remorse for her absence during such an important part of my life. I wanted to tell her that it was okay, that we could just brush it under the rug and forget about it but I couldn't do that because a part of me was still hurt that my big sister wasn't there for me when I needed her, when I was at my most frightened.  
I took a deep breath, despite the fact that we were speaking in our minds, in preparation to say something but my sister's voice cut me off before I could get my words out.  
_I'm a bitch._ She stated bluntly and it actually startled me. You'd have thought that growing up with Leah would have desensitised me to her habits and personality defects but alas, I was dumbfounded as the next guy. She ploughed on before I could reply. _I mean, I'm your sister and I didn't stand by you like I should have._  
_No, you didn't and that hurt. Out if everyone, I expected you to be the one who stood by me, who would support me at such a crucial time. I just don't understand why you didn't. _I replied confused and hurt. Leah had always said that she'd stand by me if I ever fucked up and got a girl pregnant, even if Mom or Dad disowned me. Sure, _I _was the one who got pregnant but that was just a technicality. She said she would and she didn't.

_I'm so sorry...I have issues, Seth. You know that. But any excuse that I spit out right now would never be enough o justify why I wasn't' by your side through this. I should have been, no questions asked, no excuses given. Instead, I ran, I chickened out of my duties to you because of my own insecurities and fears. No one is more disappointed in me than I am of myself._ She murmured nearer the end, her wolf head bowing as she whined softly.

Seeing her so...vulnerable and out in the open made something shift inside of me. I could blame it on my hormones still being out of whack but to be honest, I could never be mad with Leah for too long and her pain was my own. Always has; always will. She said the same about me. Big sisters always looked after their little brothers and vice versa. It was like, an unwritten rule of sibling-hood. I crept towards her and ducekd my head under her chin, giving it a gentle nudge upwards. She sighed and lifted her head reluctantly, though I noticed that she still kept it below mine in a sign of respect and remorse. She knows that she was in the wrong here, and she was showing me that she knew.

_Seth, I'm so sorry..._ She cried. I sighed heavily. She'd totally obliterated my guard.

_Leah...it's alright...Sure, you hurt me but some part of em had always known that me getting pregnant would have a negative effect on you. I mean, I'm your _brother_ and _I'm_ the one to get pregnant whilst you're in __the dark, scared that you'll never be able to have children? I know that you're scared of that being the case, even after you stop phasing. _

_Well what the fuck should I expect? I mean, I get thrown about here, there and everywhere, slammed into stone walls and trees every time we fight a bloodsucker. Most of us have probably had internal bleeding to some extent but have never detected it due to the healing shit. What if I'm too damaged?_ She replied,

_Okay, first of all, watch the language. Young minds and all. _I warned her, giving her she-wolf a stern look just as MJ shouted, _Daddy! Auntie Leah said a bad word!_

_I know, Son. She won't do it again. Right, Lee? _I asked her, cocking my head to the side as if it were my eyebrow. She quickly shook her head and I knew that she would have been blushing had she been human right now. _Okay and second, you don't know that for sure, okay? I don't know it to be true anymore than you do. There's loads of stuff you could try out after you stop phasing. Aren't there, like, medical facilities and such that you can go to? IVF and all that?_

_Well, yeah...Yeah, I guess..._She didn't seem too sure still though.

_I mean, you're temperature will go pretty much back to normal. It might feel like you're running only the slightest fever but it'll be low enough for you to be able to go to a doctor and get checked out. I'll even come with you._ I offered, knowing from her thought process that I was getting trhoguh to her. She looked at me.

_Seriously? You're willing to go to a doctor with me so I can get checked up?_ She asked, surprised. I nodded. Guilt consumed her. _Even when I wasnt' there for you and your babies?_

_Little brothers stand by their big sisters, no matter how big of a bitch she has been in the past. _I replied, wisely. The guys, unable to help themselves, burst out laughing at my joke and even Leah let out a chuckle or two. _So, what do you say?_

_Well, first, I want to give you my excuses for not being there for you, even though they won't measure up and maybe you don't care._

_No, I don't but go ahead if you need to._ I replied, smirking. She rolled her eyes.

_Okay, so...I guess my main problem was my fear that was driving me. I was scared that you were paying for my mistakes, for me not being able to have children. And also that I...I was really..._jealous_ of you...you know? You have got exactly what I've always wanted, you and Chris and babies. You imprinted, something that screwed me over. You had not only one baby but _three_! That's like a kick in the teeth. You have everything whereas I seem to have nothing. I don't have a guy; he was taken from me by my own _cousin_. I don't have a baby or the ability to have one at the minute, if ever, due to my fu-frigging genetic code. I mean, when you think about it, I screwed myself over. What's up with that?_

_Sure, okay, I have three of the most gorgeously cute nephews in the history of wolf and man kind and I guess having a load of brothers is a plus as well, in some warped,w weird way. Could have done with a sister or something, you know, someone who understands me but you know-_

_Lee, rambling. _ I cut her off, amused. She coughed.

_Right, anyway, three cute nephews and a ton of brothers. What more do I have though? Nothing. _She sighed, shaking her head sadly.

_Lee, I don't know what to say, truly. You've been screwed over so many times that no one knows how to help you, other than what I've already suggested. Honestly, I think it'll be touch and go with all this. No one knows anything, not even Mom and she's not only a nurse but an Elder, as you know. _I replied. _Just try and trust me, okay? I don't think you'll have a problem with having kids in the future. _

She sighed heavily. _Okay, I'll try and think about what you've said. I hope you're right though. _

I stepped forward and practically pulled her into by my paw. She actually giggled and cuddled up against me. I couldn't remember the last time we hugged like this, in human or wolf form. It was nice and familiar...

Our familial moment was interrupted by a loud, frightened squeal within the pack mind, followed by a panicking cub's voice. _Daddy! Daddy, something isn't right! _He screamed, fidgeting uncomfortably as he paced, looking down at his body as if it was a foreign object.

My own panic threatened to course through me but I wouldn't let my cubs catch onto it. It would panic them more. I was quickly sprinting from Leah's side, her right behind me. I was actually faster than her. I'd never ran so fast in my life. Brady and Collin were on their feet, shifting nervously around the cub, who was now shaking. They nudged at him and he was so unsteady on his feet. I thought he might collapse any second and I couldn't help but let a slither of my panic slip through the pack mind. Chris latched onto that immediately.

_What is it? What's wrong? _He asked, firm and focused as he dropped everything he was doing, including the carcass in his jaws, to start sprinting back through the forest to us. The pack had caught on to his thoughts as soon as he saw them in my head and they were right behind him, their own worry and concern intense.

_I don't know. Something is wrong with our son. You need to get back here now. _ I ordered, firmly.

_I'm already on my way, Pup. I'll be there in three minutes. _

_Hurry._ I cried as I saw my cub's knees buckle from under him. _Oh Baby, what's wrong? Talk to me, talk to Daddy. _

_Daddy,I feel funny! It feel weird! Make it stop!_ He cried, licking and nibbling at his side. I noticed from his mind, the heat that was creeping down his back and it made me stop.

No, no it couldn't be, right? I asked myself. The others were too concerned about my son to pay attention to me. I had a feeling that I was right and I knew that I needed to coach him through this.

_Sweetheart, don't fight it, okay? Daddy's here, Daddy's got you, okay? I'm not going to let anything hurt you. Come on, come here and just relax, okay? Everything will be okay. _Encouraged, cradling my son between my front legs. He shivered and whined against me, pushing his face into my chest and clawign at the ground.

In that second, Chris' huge mass came barrelling out the tree line and I sighed in relief. He skidded to a stop beside me and instantly began to snuffle and poke his nose into our son. _What's happening? Why is he shivering like that? H, God, is he okay?_

Ah, here's that protective Papa Wolf. He let go of his inhibitions for a second and let a few choice curse words loose. I didn't reprimand him, seeing that my cubs were focused on the one between my legs, the one who was becoming increasingly more silent in our minds. And then it happened...

One second, I was staring down at a ball of fur, snuffling and licking at small ears and his snout and then in the next second, my nose touched baby soft skin and my tongue swiped at a little button nose that reminded me of my own when I was a little boy. A shrill, boyish cry pierced the stunned silence all around me and it snapped me out of my reverie. I'd never resented the fact that I couldn't phrase in or out of this wolf form more than I did right now. Here, between my legs, laid my sweet, cry HUMAN son and I couldn't do anything about it.

_Oh my God! Chris! Phase right the fuck now! _I screamed, frantically. I didn't move a muscle, in case my claws got in the way and I hurt my baby. Oh God...

Chris was human in the next second, naked as the day he was born but he didn't give a damn and neither did I. His eyes were riveted on the little baby between my legs and I watched as he leaned down and scooped him up into his strong, large, able arms and cradled him against his chest. Instantly, Chris was cooing at our son, trying to hush his cries and he swayed back and forth. Tears were running down his face but he didn't care and none of us watching made any fuss of them. This was a father truly holding his baby for the first time. This truly was a magical moment...

* * *

**Ah! So a cub phased! Who do you think it was? :D Sorry for the cliffie, Ladies and Gents but I didn't want this chapter to be a long one and it would have been, had I continued :P I hope this can hold you off until next time :3**

**Please review!**

**Love  
****MrsWolfPack  
****xxx**


	34. Lost

**Hey, hey, my Lovelies!**

**Thank you to those of you who reviewed the last chapter :3 15 reviews, better than the last chapter. Can we best that this time around? I know you guys can :3**

**There's a new photobucket picture with this chapter :3**

**Disclaimer: I don't own twilight! Unfortunately...D:**

**Without further ado...Enjoy!**

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**Previously on Clouded Joy...**

_One second, I was staring down at a ball of fur, snuffling and licking at small ears and his snout and then in the next second, my nose touched baby soft skin and my tongue swiped at a little button nose that reminded me of my own when I was a little boy. A shrill, boyish cry pierced the stunned silence all around me and it snapped me out of my reverie. I'd never resented the fact that I couldn't phrase in or out of this wolf form more than I did right now. Here, between my legs, laid my sweet, cry HUMAN son and I couldn't do anything about it. _

Oh my God! Chris! Phase right the fuck now!_ I screamed, frantically. I didn't move a muscle, in case my claws got in the way and I hurt my baby. Oh God..._

_Chris was human in the next second, naked as the day he was born but he didn't give a damn and neither did I. His eyes were riveted on the little baby between my legs and I watched as he leaned down and scooped him up into his strong, large, able arms and cradled him against his chest. Instantly, Chris was cooing at our son, trying to hush his cries and he swayed back and forth. Tears were running down his face but he didn't care and none of us watching made any fuss of them. This was a father truly holding his baby for the first time. This truly was a magical moment..._

* * *

**Chapter 33**

**Lost**

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**Seth's Point of View**

It had been three days since MJ phased back to his human form. It's been three days since I'd seen my eldest cub due to the fact that I was still a wolf, bound in this form until my two other cubs joined their brother. I was worried sick about him but I knew that he was in safe hands with his Papa and his grandparents at our home. I needed to focus on these two now. I had no idea when they were going to phase and there had been no sign but there wasn't exactly any warning with MJ either. We'd just have to wait.

_Daddy, where has MJ gone?_ PT asked as he sulked over to lay by my side. SJ was in his usual place. I sighed, having been answering this question a lot over the past three days.

_He's with Papa, PT. You know that._ I replied, sympathetically.

He and MJ had been glued together since they could run around and this was the first time they'd been separated. It wasn't that they weren't just as close to SJ because they definitely were but they were loud and active whereas SJ was the opposite. He preferred to snuggle rather than mess around and shout. MJ and PT were constantly together and now MJ was gone for the moment, PT was beside himself.

_But where's that? And why did Papa take him away? He's not a wolf anymore. Why not? Why did he change? Will we change as well? Will it feel weird like it did with MJ? I don't want to feel like that, Daddy. That was scary._ PT babbled, incessantly. I could feel the beginnings if a headache coming on and SJ was lucky to have the ability to sleep through his brother's loudness.

_PT, it's late. You need to sleep. I promise that I'll answer your questions tomorrow. Now get over here next to your brother._ I ordered. It was close to midnight and SJ had been asleep for the last three hours. PT couldn't seem to settle down. He did as he was told and slumped down. Between my front paws next to his brother, grumbling all the while. I leaned down and licked his ears and mouth. He whined and returned the affection before resting his head over his brother's back.

_Night Daddy._ He murmured, yawning hugely.

_Night Baby...Love you._ I whispered, nuzzling his small body.

_Love you too Daddy._ He was barely coherent and in the next second, he was silent and his breathing became deep and even. I sighed contently and smiled, lying my head lightly over my boys and protecting them even in sleep.

* * *

Something was strange when my mind resurfaced from sleep the next morning. The sun blinded me for a few seconds and my mind was blurry from my unconsciousness but when I collected my bearings, I could tell straight away that things weren't right. My eyes snapped open in alarm as something grabbed at my fur. Hands. I frowned. Why were there hands grabbing at me?

My eyes snapped downwards and widened at the sight of my white wolf cub... And human SJ. Panic set in for a second before calm replaced it. That didn't stop the wolf on patrol latching onto my feelings.

_What is it? What's wrong?_ Quil asked, worriedly.

_Quickly, go get Chris. SJ has phased. Quickly, go. _I ushered, my eyes intent on my little boy. In the back of my mind, I heard Quil ordering Brady to do as I've said as he began to make his way over to us.

I was amazed by the little boy beneath me. No tears fell from his eyes. No cries forced their way from his delicate chest and out of his preciously cute lips. His huge baby blues shone as they peered up at me in wonder and amazement. Cute gurgles and incoherent noises spilled from his lips as his chubby hands pulled at the fur of my chest. I had no idea how long he had been like this and I found myself hoping that it hadn't been long at all.

Unmanageable pride and love burst from me as I licked his chest gently, resulting in the most amazing sound I'd ever heard in my life - SJ's giggles. His whole face morphed into one of unmatched, untainted happiness.

_Seth, I'm on my way._ Chris' voice announced as he phased into the pack mind, along with Jacob, Embry, Sam and Paul.

_Is everything okay? How long ago did he phase?_ Jacob asked, intently. All five of them were cantering as one to our location.

_I don't know how long ago he phased. He woke me up. Oh God, I don't even know when he phased! What sort of Dad am I?_ I suddenly cried with horror.

_Hey, hey, stop that. I was on patrol, and AWAKE, and I didn't even realise he'd phased. He didn't make a sound. I thought you were all still asleep._ Quil reassured me and I calmed down a little. I guess he was right.

At that moment, he breached the tree line and barrelled his way over to me, careful not to startle the baby bundle under my nose. He stopped a few metres away from me before creeping closer. I watched SJ's eyes shift to him and widen as a beautiful smile spread on his lips.

_Wow...he's gorgeous, Seth._ He breathed. I could instantly feel the pride and smugness fill me. But it was soon replaced by worry for my son.

_He's cold._ Quil come lay down in front of me. I ordered, watching as he did as I said.

_I'm here._ Chris announced only a second appearing from the trees. My heart sagged in relief as my gaze caught his and then even more so at the little bodysuit and blanket he was carrying in his mouth. He phased and quickly dressed, tapping the top of Quil's head as he circled around him to get to me.

For a minute or two, he wrapped his arms around my neck and hugged me tightly. Despite sharing a mind over the last three days, we hadn't had this contact. I didn't realise how much my body ached for him. I whined and licked the side of his neck, lovingly.

"I love you." he whispered, kissing the side of my muzzle once more before pulling away from me to peer down at our youngest son.

Awe and live saturated his face as he reached forward and gently cradled him to his chest. SJ made a startled sound and fussed slightly at being taken away from me but he settled back down again in his Papa's arms. I watched them intently, knowing that just like his moment with MJ, it was special and once in a lifetime. I didn't want to miss a second of it. Chris kissed his soft forehead and murmured something that even I didn't catch before moving towards my back.

He'd done this with MJ after someone had gone and gotten him something to wear, since there was no way he was going to carry my naked son through a cold forest. My back was broad enough to lay a baby on,it seemed and that's precisely what he did now with SJ. It was also a good way to keep him warm until Chris could wrap him up. He proceeded to get our son dressed, something he did fast and effectively. After strapping the diaper in place, he gently manoeuvred his limbs into the bodysuit. All the while, SJ fidgeted, trying to grab my fur or his Papa's fingers. He was soon wrapped tightly up in the thick soft blanket.

Chris came up near my face, allowing me to say temporary goodbye to my baby. Temporary or not, it was fucking hard and pain coursed through me as I sniffed and snuffled at my boy. His giggles, I'm hoping, would hold me off until I could get back home to him.

"I'll take good care of him until you come home, Pup, I promise," he breathed in my ear. My eyes closed. I hated this, not being able to go home with him and our children. "I know it's hard, Pup. Soon, I promise. PT needs you right now though, okay?"

I nodded my wolf head and rubbed my muzzle against the side of his head. He kissed my nose and I licked him back. With one last nod, he turned towards the wolves watching us from the tree line. Jacob, Quil and Sam stood to escort my mate and cub to the safety if our home. It was Paul and Embry's turns to patrol.

_We'll get them home safely, Seth. See you soon._ Sam assured me as they turned back to the forest. And just like that, my mate had left with another cub. Who knows whether it'll be another 3 days or longer until I see him and his brother again.

Turns out that I really didn't have to wait that long and I was back home by lunch time the next day...

* * *

I was distracted, practically wrestling with PT whilst I changed his diaper at the changing table in the triplets' room. SJ was stood up in his crib, hand in his mouth with a cute teddy bear clutched tightly to his chest by his other arm whilst he looked over at me and PT, smiling at his brother's antics. Chris was over by the closet with MJ in his arms, scoping out something for the boys to wear.

"My God, Baby, our son is an octopus." I exclaimed, exasperated as PT foiled my movements yet again. My mate's chuckle sounded from across the room and I grinned at him over my shoulder as he did the same, looking away from the closet. "Seriously, how did you do this so last last night?"

"Not without difficulty. You want me to take over there and you can look for something for them to wear?" he offered, crossing the room. MJ tugged at the colour of his Papa's shirt but let go of it when they got closer to me, reaching out to me with his cute, chubby hands. I smiled at Chris in thanks and kissed him as I gently plucked MJ from his arms.

"Thanks, you're so much better at it than me. Does that make me rubbish?" I asked, frowning at being an inadequate dad. Chris sighed and shot me a look over his shoulder at me. I held my free hand up. "Okay, okay, I'll stop. Geesh, no need for the glare."

"You know that the glare was necessary. Pup, just because I do jobs like this better than you, doesn't mean you're a bad Dad. You're better than me at getting them to sit still whilst they're eating and you're better at getting them to sleep. You calm them down like a champ and I can wrestle them into doing things that need to be done...like...Walla! One changed baby boy." He announced, lifting PT from the changing mat. My middle son grinned at me over his Papa's shoulder and I was convinced he gave me so much grief whilst changing him on purpose.

We both placed MJ and PT on a play mat surrounded by cushions and toys so that Chris could get SJ changed and I could look for some clothes. We didn't like dressing the boys up in matching stuff like some parents liked to do. I felt that they were so unlike each other, yet so connected, that they should have something that made them their own person. I picked out some dungarees for SJ with a white under-shirt. It had a cheeky monkey picture on the chest, reminding me off him completely. He was a very cheeky young man. Picking out another white under-shirt, I paired that off with an orangey, brown chequered shirt with some soft material jeans for PT and then a white shirt, blue striped sweat vest and soft material jeans for MJ.

Chris and I were quick and efficient getting them dressed before taking them down to the kitchen for their breakfast. When they phased, they weren't much interested in milk at any time other than bed time. It helped them sleep. No, from the get go of being human, they've only been interested in sloppy foods. I guess it makes sense. In regards to appearance and development, they were about 8 months. Of course, they were only nearly 3 weeks old in reality but their development was so much faster and advanced whilst they were in human form and it's obviously had an impact on their human forms. I wondered if their future development would be different as well and how much it would make them unlike all the other kids.

Chris fed PT his porridge whilst I helped SJ grab him banana in his chubby hands. MJ preferred Cheerios to porridge and was quite good with his patience between bites whilst he waited for me to finish helping his brother. PT is too impatient for his food for us to be able to feed him with one of the others. We were just cleaning up their boys' faces when there was a brief knock on the front door before we heard it open. I rolled my eyes. _Why bother knocking if you're just going to walk right in? _That's what I wanted to ask but instead, I called out, "Hey, we're all in the kitchen!"

Not a second later, a couple of pack brothers waltzed on in with smiles on their faces, followed by their imprints and then my Mom. She rushed up to me and hugged me tightly. She hadn't been able to stop since PT and I had emerged from the forest four days ago. She was relieved to have me back and to have met her final Grandson. MJ fussed in his chair, reaching and grasping forward for his Nana. As soon as PT saw his Uncle Embry, he was beating his hands on the chair tray in front of him, shouting incoherent gabbles across the room.

Mom made a beeline towards MJ as Embry did the same to PT. I looked at SJ, who was patiently waiting for Paul to look his way but when he did, the smile he gave him was dazzling and I knew that even the old Paul, the one before he'd imprinted on Rachel, would have been able to resist that grin. Paul answered in kind and approached SJ, who lifted his arms calmly waiting for his Uncle to get to him. Once he clung onto Paul's neck, there was no letting go until we pried him off. He loved his Uncle Paul.

"How are my beautiful Grandsons?" Mom cooed at MJ, who ate that shit right up. PT was telling Embry his day so far in his cute babbles but I think Embry's responses were funnier, like he knew exactly what he was saying and even asking questions.

Seeing how happy PT was right now, it brought back the memory of his first phase. I shivered at the thought, thinking that my baby boy would be a little more cautious due to his bad experience but he was as flighty and loud as ever...

* * *

**Memory...**

_Just as MJ's, PT's transformation happened so suddenly that I was suffering from whip lash. One second he was a wolf cub and then next...Poof! Human baby. It's crazy how fast it happens but it's happened to all of them so I'm guessing it was normal. _

Daddy, I feel weird!_ PT shouted frightened as he looked down into the lake across the clearing where we were located. Dread coursed through me at his words, realising what was about to happen whilst he was in such a vulnerable position. _

No, PT get away from the wa- SHIT! SHIT, SHIT, SHIT!_ I screamed, barrelling across the clearing as a loud baby wail penetrated the silence of the morning. A loud splash sent intense panic surging through me and without thinking, I had phased back o human, naked as the day as I was born as stormed over to the river and dived in. PT had barely breached the surface; I'd gotten to him so fast but he was wailing up a storm and was obviously shaken. _

"_Shh, shh, it's okay, Baby. Daddy's got you. Shh now." I cooed, resting the nude baby against my chest and covering his back with my bare hands to keep him warm. It was easily done. I had massive hands and he was so small compared. The poor cherub continued to cry on my shoulder as I rocked and cooed at him. After about thirty minutes, he'd finally calmed down and glancing down at him, I noticed his eyes were closed and his breathing was even. He fell asleep. _

_I sighed in relief and peered around the clearing. The realisation that it was all over hit me like a truck and I could help the brief smile that took over my face. All my babies were human now, and so was I. PT was the last one and now..._

_I could go home._

_Relief and happiness coursed through me so fast and hard that I laughed out loud, causing the small baby in my arms to stir softly. I rocked him gently and he stopped but still, I was grinning like an idiot. Then the large foliage of the forest moved, sending my senses into overdrive just as a handful of my pack brothers sprinted into the clearing. They were frantic, even my human eyes could see that and I guess that was understandable. They would have hear and felt my mind cut off from theirs. Not only mine, but PT's as well. _

_Jacob had phased in the next instant as soon as his eyes landed on mine and his own relief was obvious on his face as he stormed over to me. He pulled me into a hug, being careful not to crush PT laid between us and I hugged him back, one-handedly. He pulled back and grabbed my face. _

"_Are you okay? You just cut off from us and we were worried. PT cut off seconds before so we guessed it had to be related." he trailed off as his eyes shifted to my right shoulder, the look of awe on his face as he stared at my baby boy. "Damn, Seth, they're all gorgeous. In wolf form and human form."  
"Thank you." I whispered emotionally as I snuggled up against my baby and inhaled. Honey and chocolate. I will never forget that scent throughout my entire life. By this point, the others had surrounded us, all of them peering at us both with huge smiles on their faces. Someone passed me a pair of shorts._

_Leah is on her way with some clothes and a blanket for him." Brady informed me, standing behind my back to peer at my son. I still had my eyes closed, inhaling. _

"_We can go home now. Chris has been lost without you there though. "Collin chuckled, nudging my head. I chuckled. _

_Come on, we can meet Leah on the way. I want to go home." I told everyone. They grinned and nodded, allowing me to lead the way out of the clearing. I think they had an ulterior motive though, to stare at my son along the walk. _

* * *

"Earth to Seth! Dude, what did you do? He's broken." Quil laughed, looking at Chris. He chuckled and pulled me close to him by my waist. He dipped his head to capture my gaze and I refocused, smiling at him suddenly and shaking my head.

"You okay?" he asked, slightly concerned. I smiled and nodded. "You sure?"

"Yeah, promise. Just thinking." I replied, pecking his lips.

"You know, Post Natal depression is common. You could have that. Mom commented and I rolled my eyes.

"No, Mom, I don't have Post Natal depression. I'm okay. I was just thinking." I chuckled. She shrugged.

"I'm just saying." She replied, airily.

"So am I."

"Daddy, look, baby!" Little Alex exclaimed as he pointed at SJ from Rachel's arms. Paul chuckled and nodded, walking to stand next to his imprint so that our sons could see each other better. I smiled at the flush that appeared on SJ's face before he hid it in Paul's neck. Alex giggled. "Daddy, he's playin hide and seek."

"He sure is. You wanna tell him your name?" Paul asked, looking between his son and nephew. Alex grinned and nodded.

"I'm Alex. That's my name. What's yours?" he asked but frowned when SJ continued to ignore him.

"Don't worry, Buddy, he's only a baby. He can't talk yet. Unlike you, you're nearly one and a half!" I exclaimed. He grinned and nodded proudly, making us all chuckle. As I stepped up next to SJ, he quickly turned and reached out for me. I smiled and took him from Paul. His face was soon buried in my face.

"Such a shy little thing." Emily crooned, winking at SJ. He buried his face closer to my neck.

"He's so much like you when you were younger, it's uncanny." Mom giggled. I grinned in pride.

More of the pack showed up to dote on my sons, which they had done a lot over the last four days we'd been here, for even longer to MJ and SJ. We decided to have a pack cook out, since it was Sunday and no one had work today. Jacob had made it so a wolf was on for only a couple of hours before the next one replaced the first so that everyone could relax.

One thing that they told me was that they had told the Marvin family, or at least Scott, Kenna and Hayley, about the wolves so that they weren't surprised about the triplets. My abrupt disappearance that day along with my extended absence had made them suspicious anyway. Apparently Chris had been the one to tell them and to show them. They took it well. Hayley had fainted but she had been alright when she woke again Kenna was fine with it but Scott had to take a couple of days to let it sink in. He's fine with it now though and agrees that Greg shouldn't be told just yet, since he kinda had this hero worship going on with the guys and me.

Bella announced she was pregnant over mid afternoon lunch. She was three months along today and had waited so long to tell people because she and Jake wanted to be sure that everything would go smoothly in the first trimester. As if, he or she was a wolf baby and couldn't ever be a risk of such a tragedy. Everyone had congratulated them and the cook out turned celebratory as beers came out for the guys and I.

Everyone stayed until late evening, around half 8 when they began to trickle out in small groups. I was grateful for the peace and quiet when Rachel, Paul and Alex took their leave. MJ and SJ were sound asleep. It was just PT who was being stubborn and was sat up on a soft play blanket, exploring the different textures available to his touch. Chris and I sat on the sofa, lost in our own little world as we watched our son and revelled in each other's embrace. I sighed contently and laid my head against his chest, closing my eyes. I could practically feel him smile, though his lips weren't touching me at the moment.

He dipped his head low and breathed against my ear, making em shiver. "I love you, you know that?" he asked, lowly. I smiled brightly.

"Yeah...But you can remind me later, if you want." I teased, grinning at him over my shoulder. He growled lowly and it sent excitement through me. "Easy, our son's in the room."

"if he weren't so stubborn, I could be having you right this, second." he enunciated with a nip of my earlobe. I moaned a little too loud and PT looked at us. He held up a red fabric square that crinkled when you touched it and uttered something completely incoherent. I chuckled and nodded.

"Very good, Baby Boy. Daddy is so proud of you." I called back, watching as he looked away again back to his toys.

"_I'm _so proud of _you_, you know that?" Chris whispered in my ear. I frowned and glanced back at him. He smiled. "I mean, with the pregnancy, the birth...giving me three gorgeous, perfect little boys."

I grinned. "It was my pleasure." I replied, lovingly.

"I love you."

"I love you too." I sighed, closing my eyes as his lips pressed against mine soft and yet so hard. It was full of passion and I moaned again. I heard a soft giggle in the background but didn't pay attention to it, revelling in my mate's touch and scent.

I was lost in him. I always was, from that first time his hand caught mine at the garage that first time and then again at school. I'd been his the moment my eyes connected with him. I would be forever lost in him and I'd always be his, even in death. He was mine. We were ours.

* * *

**THE END**

**Well, technically. There's still an epilogue but that's all for the proper chapters folks. I hope you guys have enjoyed the ride!**

**There's a new picture on my photobucket if people want to check it out :3**

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**Love  
****MrsWolfPack  
****x**


	35. Epilogue

**Hey, hey, my Lovelies!**

**So this is the last time I'll be speaking to you for a time in regard to this story :( Here is the Epilogue! This is set three years after the birth of the triplets so I hope that you enjoy :D**

**I just want to say that my mind is boggled by the amount of reviews I received for the last chapter. 20 reviews is absolutely phenomenal and it made me feel on top of the world. It may not seem like many to some writers, those of you who get thousands for your story but to me, it was awesome so thank you so much :3**

**Disclaimer: I don't own twilight! Unfortunately...D:**

**Without further ado...Enjoy!**

* * *

**Epilogue**

**Families**

* * *

**Seth's Point of View**

Calloused hands. Feather lips. Tantalising breaths. They were all I could feel. Every nerve in my body hummed with electricity. I smiled widely into my pillow. I know he knew I was awake. We now knew everything about each other's bodily reactions, sexual and non-sexual. I knew when he was hungry; I knew when he was tired. He knew when I was cold or needed his touch. It had only strengthened over the last three years.

"Open those beautiful eyes." my mate's husky, sexy voice whispered in my ear, leaning over my back. His blissful heat felt sinful, like a blanket for my naked skin. I simply smiled. "Please, Pup, let me see those gorgeous eyes."

His voice was pure sex, but also conveyed the complete love and devotion. Even after all these years, it was just as intense and I couldn't help the shiver that coursed through me. Finally, after a light brush of his lips across the back of my neck, my eyes opened to the familiar dark tones of our bedroom. Lips skimmed gently down my cheek and kissed the corner of my mouth. I grinned and turned my head that smallest fraction, capturing his warm lips with mine. He sighed into my mouth and I in his, content to be like this for the rest of our lives. I moaned as his tongue swirled with mine and his hips pressed into mine subtly. I knew for a fact that any second now that our calm morning would be disrupted but damn if I didn't want this to continue.

I'd always want my Chris.

He pulled back and lifted off me just enough to gently push me onto my back before his bare chest settled back against mine. We both moaned at the contact. My arms wrapped around his broad shoulders as I grinned up at him. One of his hands weaved up to my face and his thick fingers traced the lines of my face, mostly my eyes.

"Mmm, there they are..." he breathed. I smiled, still feeling vulnerable under his intent gaze. "So beautiful..."

I giggled. Three and a half years ago, Chris wouldn't be caught dead saying the word 'beautiful'. "You got soft in your old age, you know that?" I told him, matter-of-factly. He gave a mocking shocked gasp and gently pushed my shoulder in to the mattress.

Then his face softened to mush (an expression he only used for me and the boys and I loved it). "I'd say it was more to do with the gorgeous, smart, cute husband who I call my own and the three perfect little boys he was gracious enough to give me rather than my age." he contradicted and I couldn't help teasing him.

"Oh really? And when were you going to tell me about this secret husband and kids?" I asked flippantly with raised eyebrows. He narrowed his eyes and smirked.

"You're teasing me." he accused, aghast. I tried to keep my face straight and innocent. He wasn't fooled. "You should know by now where that gets you."  
He didn't give me a chance to respond before he was straddling my thighs and his fingers began to dance across my bare torso, yanking loud guffaws and pleas of mercy from my throat. He laughed as well foiling all my attempts at batting his hands away. He leaned forward until his face was buried in my neck.

On top of his relentless dance across my torso, his tongue and teeth nipped and nibbled at my sensitive neck, making me laugh and shout louder.  
Suddenly, the bedroom door slammed open and two loud, overly excited voices came trickling in, followed by two small bodies I know to belong to two special little boys of mine.

"Daddy! We need to save Daddy from Papa!" MJ and PT screamed, crashing into the side of our bed before hoisting his way up onto it. MJ launched himself up on the other side at the same time, diving in their Papa's back.

"Ah! Daddy, save me from the Terrible Two!" Chris shouted, laughing loudly.

"Actually, Papa, I don't think I will. What do you think, Puppy?" I asked the cute little boy standing in the doorway, grinning shyly. He shook his head, giggling and I opened my arms for him to run into. He did just that, shuffling into the room and straight to me.

For a good twenty minutes, Chris and my eldest two cubs wrestled on the bed whilst SJ and I snuggled ear the pillows.

* * *

"Papa, I want some Shredded Wheeties!" MJ shouted for his seat that the table.

"Oh, oh, I want Cookie Crisp!" PT exclaimed. Chris and I shared a fond smile as he turned to them.

"'I want never gets' I've told you that, and what do you say as well?" he called to them. They slapped their hands over their mouth like they always do whenever they say a bad word or if they forget to use their manners.

"Sorry, Papa. Can I please have some Shredded Wheeties?" MJ revised, smiling his 'trying-to-be-innocent-but-failing-miserably' smile. I chuckled.

"Yeah Papa, please?" PT asked sweetly. Chris laughed and nodded.

"Of course." he agreed and then turned to SJ. "What would you like to eat, Puppy?"

"May I have some Weetabix and banana please, Papa?" he asked softly. Chris nodded, kissing the top of his small head.

"You can have anything you want." He replied, walking to the fridge.

Breakfast was the one time in the day where it was just us and the boys. The pack and their families were constantly in and out all day, every day so we made the most of our mornings. The boys were messy when eating, well, except for SJ. He was as polite and clean as can be, even playing outside. We ate whilst they did, cleaning up the kitchen between bites if toast and pancakes. Then we slipped on their shoes and set them loose in the backyard, like every morning.

Chris charged around the lawn with MJ and PT whilst SJ curled up on my lap with a book. I smiled happily to myself as I watched my mate, thinking about everything we'd been through over the past for years or so.

Chris and I had married in the traditional Quileute way when the boys turned one year old. The first year with them was too chaotic to really have time to even think about the ceremony. Raising three boys wasn't a walk in the park, especially when two of those boys were hell-raisers.  
Their development was slightly faster than an average child's. By the time they were technically six months old, they looked over one years old and were running around the house in their nappies. By the time they were one, they looked two and were talking reasonably well. Now, at three years old, they were standing at four feet tall, capable of having an intelligent conversation and to count up to thirty four. They were very smart little boys, though SJ was the smartest. He could read the Beatrice Potter book 'Peter Rabbit' almost completely by himself.

"Daddy, what does that say?" he asked quietly, pointing to a word on the page. I smiled.

"Strawberry." I told him clearly as he watched my lips. He frowned.

"Stawberry...Daddy, that doesn't sound the same as you said it." he pointed out, pouting. I smiled and kissed his temple.

"That's because you missed the 'r'. Listen again, okay?" I ordered. He nodded. "Strawberry."

"Strawberry." he repeated perfectly and I cheered, clapping my hands. He grinned. This was the inly time he would revel in attention - when he's praised for his knowledge and achievement.

"Well done, Puppy." I cooed, hugging him closely. He snuggled back.

"Thanks, Daddy." he whispered, blushing and smiling.

"DADDY!" a scream penetrated our peaceful moment and SJ jumped as my head snapped up to see Chris hoist MJ up in the air whilst PT clung to his thigh with his arms and legs. I laughed.

"Daddy, help!" MJ laughed, flailing his arms and legs. I shared a look with SJ and he smiled, giggling as he scrambled off my lap.

"I'll help!" a little voice screamed from the gate at the side of the house. All our gazes snapped in that direction and PT squealed, letting go of his Papa's leg and crashing to the floor on his bum but he was on his feet in the next second, running full steam ahead towards his best friend, Alex. Well sure, technically he's his cousin as well.

As Alex raced towards my son and husband, Paul, Rachel and Little Denny, their 8 month old daughter, came strolling towards me. SJ's face lit up at the sight of his baby cousin and he met Paul at the top of the porch, grinning from ear to ear but waited patiently for Paul to drop to his knees so that Little Denny was at his eye level.

"Hey Seth, good morning?" Paul called toward me with a grin as he watched our kids interact.

"Great morning, as usual." I chuckled.

"Hasn't Lee been here? She's usually here before we are. I'm sure SJ is dying to see little Chelsea as well." he replied, sharing a secret grin with me. SJ was a total different person with his best friend, my niece.

It was quite miraculous actually. It only took only two months for Leah to stop phasing, starting after immediately after the triplets' birth and only one month of IVF treatment and picking out some sperm for her to get pregnant. She was more desperate for a baby than even I knew and enough to truly consider artificial ways and not go through the malarkey of finding love and doing it naturally. Chelsea Rose Clearwater was born on 27th July, almost a year younger than the triplets, weighing a healthy 7lbs 8 ounces at half four in the morning. Leah had her naturally with no drugs. Only mom was at her side.

Seth Jacob was the first, except for Lee, to hold Chelsea and had formed an instant connection. (**AN - NOT AN IMPRINT!**) SJ had been very sulky and quiet after we separated the two that first time and didn't even want cuddles with me or his Papa for a few days afterwards. Chelsea had been with SJ when she took her first steps and even though his name wasn't her first word, it was certainly in the first five she learned. Now that Chelsea can run for the most part, SJ had been able to let loose and it was nice to actually hear him raise his voice higher than whisper or soft tone. But still, heaven forbid he shouts as loud as his brothers.

"Speak of the she-devil and she shall appear." Chris called loudly, gesturing to the side gate again. I grinned and stood to greet my sister and niece cruising into the yard. Two, nearly three year old Chelsea was riding on her purple and green tricycle, guided and controlled by her mother by a lever pole. Heaven forbid she's caught on a pink one. She was definitely Leah's daughter in that respect. I don't think over the past three years, I've ever seen Chelsea in a pink article of clothing. Purple, yes but never pink.

Winking at Paul and Leah, I crouched down behind SJ and placed my mouth beside his ear. "Hey Puppy, look who's here." I said, grinning. SJ looked up at me with a frown before looking over where Uncle Paul was pointing.

His face stretched into the most beautiful grin, one I'd come to realise that was reserved for those closest to his heart, when he spotted the long flowing jet black hair of his best friend.

"Banana!" he giggled, taking the porch steps two at a time, very slowly, before barrelling across the garden. Leah had already let Chelsea off the the tricycle and was waddling across the grass, falling forward a few times on her way.

"Puppy!" Chelsea squealed excitedly. Her angelic grin was going to be a big problem for Leah when she grows up.

"Banana!" SJ called back, not nearly as loud as the little girl.

"BANANA!" three loud echoes yelled across the yard.

And then it was name pandemonium. Names were being screamed from left and right, up and down as more and more pack families arrived. Every other Saturday, we throw a pack cook-out for everyone. On the Saturdays that we didn't we took the boys to Port Angeles or even Seattle to the zoo and such. More often than not, Chelsea and Alex, or some times one of the other pack kids would tag along with us to give their parents a break.

I watched as child after child greeted and crashed into each other enthusiastically. It didn't escape my notice that MJ and PT had taken the brunt of the attack from their cousins, protecting SJ and Chelsea from harm. Bella's son, Ephraim, made a beeline towards Chelsea, pushing SJ to the ground in his effort to get to her. Leah shot Bella a dirty look. Those two had never gotten on. Jacob just chuckled at his son's eagerness.

That was until Chelsea stepped up and pushed Eph back, sending him over onto his bum whilst she turned her back on him and helped SJ up off the floor. He had been brave - no tears. There was one thing for sure - my niece has the attitude of her mother. SJ hugged Chelsea tightly before taking her hand and racing, as fast as their little legs could take them, towards the swing set and jungle gym we'd installed not six months ago.

Looking around my back yard, I couldn't stop the feeling if contentment and satisfaction from coursing through me as I watched my pack brothers wrestle, despite being mostly family men now and then seeing how all the little boys watched and imitated them as their idols, even my own boys. The pack women gossiped and fussed over the littler children, discussing short and long term future plans.  
We are a family...we love; we cry; we guide and we fight. Some nasty things may get said but they're never meant to truly hurt, not at all. We lose vital members, loved ones that we thought we'd never survive losing but we're still here, namely Chris, because of the guidance and support from the countless people surrounding us. Mom, Leah, the pack and their families. Without them, we'd never come this far because not only are we a family, but a team as well.

One fails, we all fail; it was the way it goes.

Some people aren't fortunate enough to have any of this. They don't have a Mom like Chris or a Dad, again like Chris but also Sam and Embry. Some people like Paul have dysfunctional families that are some times driven to extremes to do what they think is right but also to the darkest of deeds to accomplish own personal gain and greed.

For me personally, I've had it pretty good, quite perfect compared to the families of abuse. Sure, I lost my dad but that would have happened sooner or later. It's sad and it hurts but that's the truth. My mom is as healthy as a horse, having tens more years in her yet especially now that she has her grandsons and Chelsea to live longer for. My sister is finally happy, having the one major thing she's ever wanted without any real trouble after she actually started to properly try. Chelsea is her greatest accomplishment, her words not mine.

As for me, I have everything I've ever wanted or will ever need in my life. I have my mate and husband. My sons are and will always be happy and healthy for many, many years to come; I would do anything to ensure that. Both Chris and I would die for them. We'd do anything. ANYTHING for those boys. Nothing is more important than them. They are our lives. Every decision we make, it benefits solely them.

Thinking about a world without my big family - no sons; no mate - it hurt. It 100% physically hurt. The small, dull ache in my chest was now like a thousand knives being stabbed into my heart at the mere thought of them never to have existed. I was nothing without them.  
Large, muscular, warm arms circled my waisted tightly, moulding me to a broad, scorching chest. My day dream shattered and I was delirious to be met with a reality that surpassed even the dream. His lips brushed the side of my neck, just over my mating mark and I shivered, leaning back into him. These were the moments I strived for – to be in my mate's arms, knowing that I am safe and loved and wanted. Chris trailed soft kisses up the side of my neck towards my ear and I smiled as he spoke,

"I love you...I love you so much." he breathed into my ear. My heart melted at his words and the grin on my face couldn't be helped. Hearing him say those words would never get boring. "Do you know why?"

I bit my lip and shook my head. Of course I knew why, he told me every night whilst we cuddled in bed for the last three years or so but it always made me tingle inside when he repeated those words.

"Because you saved me. By loving me, you neutralised the darkness surrounding my heart. You changed me, made me a better man and I will never be able to repay you for that. I owe you so much, Pup. You're my everything and I'm going to spend the rest of our lives showing you how much I love you; how special you are to me and how much I want every part of you." he whispered softly.

I turned my head to peer at him over my shoulder and just like always, I could see the pure devotion and sincerity shining in his eyes. That's why I believe every word he'd said and will say in the future. He and the boys are my future and I'll be damned if I let them get away from me. I smiled, tears welling in my eyes as I leaned up to kiss him soundly, throwing all my love and passion.

As he kissed me back, I knew that everything was going to be alright...

* * *

**Please review one last time. Thank you to everyone who has done already throughout the story. You've been my motivation and it's been a pleasure writing for you guys. **

**See you at the sequel!**

**Love  
****MrsWolfPack  
****xxx**


	36. Sequel Now Posted!

**Hey, hey, my Lovelies!**

**Those of you who are interested, the sequel to Clouded Joy has now been posted!**

**It is called CLOUDED DESTINY! :D**

**Some of you may think of me as mad, what with the censorship and removals going on but I figured, what the hell. I may as well :P**

**Please head to my profile in a little while and check it out if you're interested. **

**And for those who prefer some visuals along with their reading, head to my photobucket and check out the new pictures for the sequel :3**

**I hope to see many of you over there and I can't wait to hear what you think of the Triplets!**

**Thank you!**

**Love**  
**MrsWolfPack**  
**xxx**


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